Enemy of My Enemy
by DaesGatling
Summary: For her own sick amusement, Regina made it so Mr. Gold and Mary Margaret were married in Storybrooke. Too bad she never assumed that they would use their resources to form an alliance against her once they awoke and realized what she'd done. Pairing: Snowing, Rumbelle. Some Mr. Gold/MM alluded to
1. The Courtship of Mary Margaret

**Once Upon a Time...**

Elias Gold was not…normal. He knew that. He had four therapists in his life who told him so in ways that ranged from comforting to blunt

Now what actually was wrong with him, they didn't know. For the amount he paid, they all had a theory

For some, they believed it to be his injury that crippled his leg and rendered him unable to walk on it for more than a few steps without his cane. It made him physically weak. It had him a target to all those around him. He made everyone underestimate him and that clashed with the belief that Elias had that stated he was entitled to be just like them. Better even.

For some, it was the father that tried several times to abandon him. At first it was to governesses and to tutors and to boarding schools but when the time came for him to be old enough, his father abandoned him to the world and then ran off to some land he owned in Maine. Elias worked two jobs to get himself through university, he refused to let his father pay for anything (Not that he would). He was a lawyer now; a high class one. He wore expensive suits and dined with people he did not like. He complimented their spoiled babies and smirked at their lewd unfunny jokes because it meant more money. He watched the corruption of these people around him and allowed it because that's how he made his livelihood.

His third one said his craving for security and power was because even though he had a rich father, he never had any sort of security.

His fourth one just thought he was a sociopath. He personally liked this one. She was blunt and to the point and she said what the other three refused to say.

But at the end of the day, he craved power. Why did he crave it? Well, everyone had a theory. Maybe it was all those reasons. Or a combination of the four. He didn't know. All he knew was that he fought every day for more power and wealth even though he had more than enough.

And every day, he lost a little more of his humanity…or whatever humanity he had left.

He had security.

But he was not happy.

When he was happy; he was complacent. He was laid back and relaxed. He didn't go around…smiling or clicking his heals together in the air or whatever it was that happy people did…he was just…softer.

When he was not happy, he was harsh and more vicious. He searched for something…anything to make him happy, even for a time. Not…alcohol or drugs, he would never waste his health or his resources like that, but he was always on the hunt for something.

So, he went...to places lower than his society. Not the lowest scummiest places in Boston, but more middle class. He watched the relaxed people…he wondered how they could just be content with what they had when anything could take it away.

But they had loved ones. They had families. They were happy.

Perhaps he could…

No, that was out of the question. He would not give his power and wealth up in the HOPES that he could be happy. He didn't even know how to love! Everyone he was surrounded with had shown him how NOT to love, but he had never learned how to actually do it.

So, for many years, his search to find happiness went in vain.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

There was a diner he preferred. It was close to a university campus but was never too busy. No one bothered them there and he really enjoyed their pie.

When he arrived, it was busy. He knew the drill. There were chairs in the back were those that were waiting for a booth. He would have to go and wait there.

He scanned everyone as they passed. None of them ever looked like they could afford him, but he liked to keep his eye out.

He passed a dark headed girl with a large text book in her hands. As he passed, he saw that it was hiding another book that no one could see.

He stopped to look at the strange sight. She looked up and saw that she'd been caught. A small blush crept to her cheeks when she saw his confused look, "My professor is three booths down and I have an exam tomorrow. If he thinks I'm not studying then he's going to call me out on the lecture we have before the exam…and I don't like being called up to answer a question."

"Ah," he looked down the way were the waiting area was already crowded. A plan surfaced and he gave her a smile, "Well, your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you."

"As long as you share your booth."

She went pale and blinked, "Are you…blackmailing me?"

"Of course not. I think of it more as a compromise. You don't want to be humiliated in front of your class and I would like to eat before I have to go back to my office. And to enjoy the company of a lovely young lady would not hurt."

She blushed again. He thought she was going to refuse. It was well within her right to just stand up and walk out but she did not. Instead, she cleared away her books so that he could sit across from her.

"Well, I'm sure your professor will just love you chatting instead of reading."

"You're older," she shrugged, "I'll just tell him that you're an expert on that period."

"Oh my, but that'd be lying."

"Then I hope he doesn't ask," she smiled and took a drink of her hot cocoa…he was certain that he smelled some cinnamon when she lifted it up.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"Oh, Anna Karenina."

"Tough book," he signaled for the waitress, "Do you have to read it?"

"Well, I sort of choose to," she shoved the books in her bag, "I…I like classics. I don't read much but when I do get to read I like them best."

"Yes well, a lot can be learned through classical things more than contemporary literature, there's a reason it still exists. It still speaks to someone somehow," the waitress gave him a dirty look, like she knew what he had done to cut in front of the line, "Or…maybe they don't speak to us. Maybe they're classics because someone has decided they will be and those people say the classics will be classics and we just accept it. Maybe they say nothing at all"

"Well, that's depressing."

"Forgive me," he apologized, "It was not my intent to sadden the lady in my presence."

She blushed again, but cleared her throat and extended her hand, "I'm Mary Blanchard."

He shook her hand, "Elias Gold."

She smiled in a way that touched him, "Nice to meet you."

He saw something in her eyes and smile then that he hadn't seen in a very long time.

Sincerity.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

There was something about this Ms. Blanchard that felt real. Something that made him feel drawn to her in a way that he didn't feel drawn to anyone else. He liked her smile, it was bright and beaming. He liked her tender attitude. She was soft spoken and pleasant but at the same time she wasn't afraid to voice her beliefs. There was spunk hidden there…she was a fighter in her own right but she had a way with words too.

He couldn't understand it but she had his attention.

They met twice a week in that diner after they met. Then it was movies (as friends) the dinner (as more than friends) and before he knew it, he was making a trip to the jeweler.

The day after her graduation from the university, she stood beside him at the altar in a garden 3 hours away from Boston. They were married quietly. Neither one wanted a big fuss. Mary had some friends but none that she was close with. Elias wouldn't think to invite anyone from his law office to his wedding and neither had family. Mary's parents had both been murdered, leaving her an orphan at 17.

Elias had disowned his father and didn't see fit to tell him he was married. Mary had been quiet when he told her but she didn't challenge him for it. She never pushed him to make it right with his father. As far as he was concerned the old codger could die up in the woods where he belonged.

He didn't rent an expensive hotel for them; he took her for a weekend by the lake. She lit up when he told her. He had never had much use for the country…but his new wife had grown up surrounded by woods…so he did it for her.

So, that night in the cabin, with his new wife sleeping beside him, he felt…laid back and relaxed.

And he decided he was happy.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Mary was not from the world he was from. Sometimes he really hated that because he didn't know how to connect with her. She didn't like expensive gifts. She didn't like lavish parties thrown in her honor (she didn't complain but he could tell she didn't like it) and she didn't like being a trophy wife. She liked working as a teacher. She liked simple things; she liked cheap jeans and fuzzy sweaters and little knit caps. Mary was Mary, and she didn't let the opinions of other people and fashion magazines tell her that she was too fat, too skinny, or her own personality didn't meet his society's standards. She didn't want to be a carbon cutout of everyone else that Elias had surrounded herself with.

She was comfortable in her own skin and he loved her for it. He just…didn't know what to do with that sometimes. He wasn't a roses and chocolates man. He hated Valentine's Day with the passion of a thousand suns. Mary wanted to keep it simple but he didn't know how to be simple, he thought the more expensive gifts were the best. Mary didn't complain. She accepted them with a kiss and gave him gifts of her own. He liked expensive clothes…he believed the suit made the man. Mary gave him ties and cufflinks and shirts. Some men might be offended and think it was a lack of creativity, but Mary knew how he thought.

It was just his work…where the marriage became frayed. When he and Mary turned serious and were thinking about marriage, he had cleaned up his act. He had taken on several more reputable clients and ended relations with the more reckless ones. He believed that he and Mary should focus on building something together and so he moved on from just power and wealth now that he had someone who also relied on him.

But he still attended parties and business dinners. These were not Mary's sort of people…but she attended with him. She always wore one of the expensive dresses that he bought her because she wanted to make a good impression for him. They made their jokes about people, they made their lewd comments…and Mary endured it.

But it was when one of the clients pulled out a napkin with that familiar white powder in the crease that Mary left the table. When he went to get her, she gave him the ultimatum. It was either a lot of changes were going to be made or she was going to leave. She had been unhappy with these people for a while now…she didn't like the way he stayed with these people because she saw how it influenced his attitude.

So, he obliged. He and Mary took a small vacation to work on their marriage. They entered a small counseling group and talked their problems out. They agreed on a new start somewhere. He certainly had enough money, they could set up somewhere.

So, it seemed like fate when they got back home and he received a letter stating his father died and the land of Storybrooke went to him.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000

Elias Gold was a city man, through and through. He did not like small towns. The big fish/small pond mentality made him feel like he was being scrutinized. His instincts told him to sell the land and do his own thing but he supposed this was as good a place as any to start over.

Mary adored the town as soon as they drove in. Her eyes lit up when she saw the unmoving clock. He saw the wheels turning in her mind as soon as she saw the house with the unfortunate salmon paint and green trim. She was already making plans. She had spoken of children when they married but it had never been the right time. There was plenty of room in this house and this place had a yard with it. Mary fell in love immediately.

She even liked the color. Elias made a note to take her to the doctor and ask if she was colorblind.

But…this small town and its unfortunate colors were all his now.

He set to work as soon as their things were moved into his father's old house. Mary secured herself a job as a teacher for fourth grade. She was very happy as this town gave her more freedom to be creative with her lessons.

He opened a pawn shop, structured better rental agreements at a moderately fair price, and secured an authoritative position on every board he could so he could know what was going on on his property at all times.

After all, he came from a respectable family…he should make sure to continue that in case he and Mary might have children to pass all this down to.

But the children never came…and Elias grew slightly disappointed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000

There was no nightlife in Storybrooke. Elias did his best with what he had. He had grown….to be content here. He wasn't….completely happy. He wasn't sure he would ever be no matter where he was at but Mary was and that made him feel like the move had been worth something. She was beaming when he came home for dinner every day and she always had a story for something one of her kids did.

Her enthusiasm and his more legal dealings brought a new light on the marriage and he felt more relaxed. He didn't need more power. He had it. The only thing that came close to challenging it was that hateful mayor that hated his wife for some reason…but she was still a bug compared to him. She had power, she didn't know what to do with it or how to use it and it showed.

So, no, he wasn't threatened by her.

Mary even took up volunteering at the hospital two or three nights a week to pass the evening. Sometimes when he went up there to pick her up, he found her standing over the comatose John Doe that the mayor had found several years ago.

He felt jealous, but he didn't show it. Why should he be jealous of someone that wasn't even awake?

Anyway, she was just fascinated. It didn't mean anything. She always assured him that she loved him as they walked hand and hand home every week.

Storybrooke was a quiet content town that he wasn't sure if he either liked or hated.

But then the woman in the yellow bug pulled up and changed everything.


	2. Pilot

God, it was rent day.

That was the first thing in Elias Gold's mind at the beginning of every month. Warm days of the month weren't so terrible but it was the cooler fall and winter months that bothered him. The cool winter months where the cold crept up his bad leg like icy fingers and his entire leg felt as if it were on fire.

He'd have much rather spent the morning in bed with his wife.

He got an earlier start than his wife did in the mornings, so he extracted himself from the covers so as not to disturb her.

But she was a light sleeper and felt the bed bounce slightly, "Hmm, honey?" 

"Shh," he moved over and kissed her neck, "Just get some sleep."

She reached behind her…but her hand only grabbed air, "Come to bed."

He bent back over and trailed small kisses down her bare back, "I wish I could but work calls."

"So early," she pouted.

He pulled the covers over her so that she would be warm, "This town is a lot bigger than most would give it credit for. If you want me home at a decent time for dinner, then I must leave now."

"Or you could just forgo rent for the month and spent your time with me," she rolled on her back and brush her nails down his back, "I could take the day off…we could go to the cabin on the lake."

"Yes, but then how will I get my income and afford all those porches and Lamborghinis that you love, dear?" he teased.

"Hm," she sat up and kissed his neck, "Have a good day, sweetie."

He didn't miss the hand that circled around his waist. He gave her backside a playful pat, "Get some sleep."

He had come to relish the small moments they had when they woke up and when they went to sleep. It was their more vulnerable times they shared. It was the happier times in this little dreadful town that they lived at.

Where the stupid clock never moved…

And the mayor's boy acted out for any attention other than the authoritarian rule that his adopted mother instilled on him….the boy ran away yesterday. Mary Margaret had been beside herself with worry. Elias wondered if that boy returned. He knew he wouldn't…if he was that child. If Henry was as desperate as to believe that fairy tales were real to escape his life, what sort of torment did that boy live in?

What sort of torment did he put that child through by giving him to her?

Elias shuddered and tried to brush off feelings of guilt.

But he knew that the boy's situation was his fault. It had been a habit of his…a less than savory person wanted something and he obliged. Now, as he saw the boy's slumped shoulders when the boy walked to and from school, he couldn't help but secretly think that perhaps the boy would've been happier with them as parents instead of Regina.

It's not like she would've been able to protest, the adoption hadn't been legal.

Elias wondered if he would have even cared if the boy hadn't been in his wife's class though. Every day it seemed that Mary came home in a bit of a depression because she saw the boy was drifting and unhappy and there was nothing that she could do.

It had been his idea to give the boy a gift on fairy tales. He gave it to her from his shop. It'd been on the shelf for as long as he could remember. He'd never looked in it, so he hoped it wasn't the old fairy tales that had rape and cannibalism and murder in there….or else that poor child was going to be more troubled than he already was.

But now he thought they were all fairy tales. Ludicrous…who exactly was he supposed to be?

Elias made a note not to ask the boy that. He might not like the answer.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000

Mary Margaret knew that her husband wasn't…exactly unhappy with his situation but she did know that he was bored. Content and bored, she thought was the most appropriate thing for him. He wanted power and reputation. He had that here. No one else was more powerful than him…so what else did he live for?

It was…very easy to fall down that slope of wanting power and never being satisfied. Mary had already seen her husband go through that in the city and she didn't want him to go through it again. She was happy here, they had something together. He was a stern landowner and he had money and a reputation and that should be enough.

She had her kids. She had a job that allowed her to be creative and free with how she ran things. It wasn't like that in the city. In the city….things were stricter. There were more children and more 'concerned' parents that the faculty bowed to because they were the loudest, but here…it wasn't so bad. The Mayor complained occasionally but whenever it was about Mary, Elias swept in and used his own influence to get her to shut up.

And so Mary was free to conduct her class the way she saw fit as long as she followed the lesson plan. That was fine, Mary understood lesson plans and all that, but she wanted her children to remember these lessons as they were memorable

The bird stayed still in her hand as she walked through the class. She noted earlier that Henry wasn't here today. She hoped that they found him…or at the rumor of him running away wasn't true. The next town was hours away, where would he go?

She worried about that boy.

"As we build our bird houses, remember – what you're making is a home, not a cage," she instructed as she walked through the classroom, "The bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures."

She gave the bird a fond smile and let it fly out the window to the birdhouse that she'd built for it. She heard the children behind her give gasps of awe and she turned around, "If you love them and they love you…they will always find you."

Her mind went distant after that…she swore she heard that once….like it was a promise made to her but she couldn't quite….remember who made it or why…

The bell rang and she jumped, "We'll pick this up after recess. No running"

Mary went to her desk to collect her things, recess was just before lunch…she could have something to eat with her husband and then be back in time for the paint to be dried.

She looked up and saw the mayor shoving her way through the children…there was a woman behind her in a red jacket, but Mary's first thought was to the mayor, "Miss Mills, what are you doing here?"

"Where's my son?" The mayor demanded.

"Henry," Mary started and wondered how much she was actually legitimately supposed to know about his disappearance, "I assumed he was home sick with you."

"You think I'd be here if he was?" Regina sneered, "Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?"

Mary looked over her shoulder and glanced at the blonde woman in the red jacket, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm his…," the woman started, "I'm his…"

"The woman who gave him up for adoption," Regina said tersely.

His birthmother! Well, that…could either end very well for Henry or very badly. Mary hoped it was the former because that child…needed some more role models in his life. There was only so much that she and Archie and others could give him.

But it looked like Henry's birthmother didn't want to be there anymore than his adopted mother wanted her there, "You don't know anything about this, do you?"

Mary took out her billfold, "No, unfortunately not."

Her cards were gone.

Despite herself, Mary smiled. Maybe if he'd just asked her husband…her husband would've done it for free. It was well known that he and the mayor didn't get along, "I should never have given him that book."

That was where it all started. At least for this path that Henry was on. She remembered how he stayed after class to tell him his theory that they were all fairy tale characters. She hadn't known how to react so she humored him. She imagined shooting down the theory was all Regina did, she didn't want to go down that route.

"What is this book I keep hearing about?" Regina demanded loudly.

"Just some old stories I gave him. As you…well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart, so creative," her voice turned sterner, "And as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it."

Regina grabbed her purse, "What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time."

She turned and swung the purse as she went. She hit a stack of books and paid them no mind as they collapsed. She passed by the woman, "Have a nice trip back to Boston." 

Mary went to collect the books and the woman bent to help her.

And it was then that Mary finally got a look at this woman. She didn't…know how to explain it but when their eyes met…it was like some sort of protective instinct washed over Mary…and then there was a curiosity as well. What sort of woman was this in Henry's life now?

"Sorry to bother you," Emma said and helped her.

Mary didn't take her eyes off the woman…there was something there but she didn't know how to explain it, "No, it's….it's okay. I hear this is partially my fault."

"How's the book supposed to help?" the woman asked, genuinely curious.

"What do you think stories are for?" Mary asked, "These stories are classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense."

And then Mary had the urge to tell this woman about her son and what he'd been going through, "See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."

"Yeah," the woman said as they walked down the hall, "She's kind of a hardass."

"No, it's more than her," Mary told her, her concern for the boy overrode her common sense, "He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face – why would anyone give me away?"

Then she realized what she said and how that sounded and she turned to face the woman, "I am…so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."

The mother looked uncomfortable but she tried to brush it off, "It's okay."

But Mary wanted to somehow make it right, "Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

She just wanted this woman to realize that Mary had given him the book for good intentions.

"You know where he is, don't you?"

Mary smiled…almost mischievously, "You might want to check his castle" 

And she hoped that whatever good this woman could do for Henry, she hoped she could give it to him.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

One more rent collection and he could go home.

Elias always saved Mrs. Lucas for last. He wanted to be honorable and say that it was because she worked all day and he didn't want to take her away from her customers but there was something about the woman that intimidated even him. She looked like she would shoot him one of these days if caught her in a bad mood.

It was really cool as he limped up the stairs and walked through the front door. His leg screamed in agony as he walked in and saw some…woman standing there. So, this must be Henry's birth mother. His wife had said something about her arriving with the child in tow. She had been so relieved that Henry came back safely.

Elias was not eager to meet the mother…if Regina felt like she was threatened this woman would be run out of town. So, what was the point?

He caught sight of her bright red jacket and accidently glanced down at her extremely tight jeans (Just because he was off the menu didn't mean he couldn't look)

"What's the name?" Mrs. Lucas asked.

"Swan," the woman said pleasantly, "Emma Swan."

And then he felt like he'd been hit…by something like a wave crashing over him. But instead of water, it was memories…memories of another life where he was not a lawyer turned property owner and he was not here to collect rent.

He was here to find his son.

He was Rumpelstiltskin; the Dark One.

It felt like an eternity for him as he relieved an entire life at a woman mentioning her name, but it only seemed to have been a millisecond.

"Emma," he drew the name out. It was the same tone and the same pitch but it was no longer the voice of Mr. Gold. It was the voice of a very old and very tired imp.

She turned and he nodded his greeting as his savior, "What a lovely name." 

She just stared at him, "Thanks."

He gave a smile at the girl he had a part in helping create.

Granny…or whatever her name was here pulled out a roll of bills, "It's all here."

"Yes," he took his attention off the savior for an instant, "Yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you."

The savior, Emma, watched him carefully as he accepted the money and looked back at her.

"You enjoy your stay," he said and gave her a once over, "_Em-ma." _

He turned to leave, but before he did, he looked at the wolf…Emma's godmother…oh gods, what had Regina done to this one?

She gave him a half confused; half aroused look as he left the Inn.

He limped down the stairs and drew his first full breath of fresh air from a world he'd been asleep in. It was good to wake up.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin…knew that there was a possibility something like this would happen. He had believed it to be a small possibility, of course because surely no one was as mentally ill as that.

_When we get to this new land, I want…comfort….I want a good life. _

The words echoed in his ears…he still remembered the tone he used in that prison cell all those years ago. When he wanted comfort, he didn't mean that.

He didn't mean _her._

And Regina knew that, she had to because Snow White was never offered to him. Nor Red Riding Hood, nor any other of the countless women Regina could've given him.

Because this wasn't about honoring the deal, this was about hurting two of her enemies.

So, while he didn't expect her to really do this, he took into account that she _might_. He took the proper precautions. Not just for this but for a number of things. The curse had preparations for every contingency that a human being could think of…and some that they couldn't. This was just one of them. He couldn't stop what Regina set in motion if that was the ending she planned for them, but he could put in a few tweaks.

He came home and pretended nothing was wrong, "Mary!"

He took off his coat and hung it up beside his wife's or…Mr. Gold's wife, he wasn't entirely sure their marriage was really legal if they never even made the vows.

He walked through the house, "I'm back."

She sat at the dining room table. Her knee was pulled up to her chest and her arms were wrapped around her leg.

A knife and a gun were in front of her.

She gave him a furious look, "Sit down."

Oh good, the contingency worked, she remembered that she was Snow White…probably as soon as he remembered.

He gave a tired sigh and looked around the room, "Allow me to make us drinks first. I believe we will need them."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000

Mary had been preparing dinner when she was hit with what felt like a lifetime of memories. The plate she held in her hands had fallen out of her hand and crashed to the ground.

She was Snow White.

Henry had been right.

The plate was still on the ground…so was the food that was prepared on it. Snow didn't see why she should bother cleaning it up when her mind was going a thousand miles an hour.

Her daughter was here…she had to find her. She had to pull her aside and tell her she had to stay…to beg her to stay. Just so she could get to know her…and memorize her face and learn all about her life that Snow had to miss.

So her daughter could break the curse. So she could defeat Regina, the woman that separated all of them in the first place.

She had to convince Emma that she was her mother.

But she couldn't do that yet. She had to face Rumpelstiltskin for what he'd spent 28 years doing to her. She didn't fool herself into thinking he didn't remember. He did. She knew that somehow…for some reason this wasn't just Regina's chess game, this was his. And he wouldn't let himself lose control of the board for 28 years.

Even if it meant 28 years of…doing what he did to her. Every night. Because for some reason it was a loop with various things that were different but _never _that.

So, she sat down to wait for him…with a knife and the gun that he kept in the drawer of the entrance table. Her…very confusing (and often bleeding together) memories told her that he had enemies…and they had it in case one of those enemies ever showed up.

Snow knew that if he had his memories, then he had to have his magic and while she may not be able to…completely kill him or maim him; she could hurt him in case he tried to come at her. She wasn't sure what he'd do now that she remembered, but he was going to get a fight.

But when she heard the front door close…and the tapping of his cane, she felt a jolt of fear slam through her.

If he had magic and he remembered…he could do whatever he wanted to her and no one would hear.

She watched him looked cautious at first…and then when he saw the gun she saw the acceptance in his eyes, "Allow me to make us drinks first. I believe we will need them."

A chill ran down her back at the sound of his voice. He sounded like Mary Margaret's husband, but she knew that this was _him._

"What you got in there? A sedative to make me sleep again?"

He gave a wry laugh at her sarcasm, "Trust me dearie, you sleeping with me in every sense of the word was not my idea. I'm truly sorry you were pulled into this." 

Snow felt disgusted, she felt…dirty and used. She wanted to rail against him but she saw the same look of disgust and anger in his eyes that she had in hers.

But she was too hungry for a fight and for answers to even consider that perhaps he didn't remember, "You just played house right?" 

"I played no games," he put the drink in front of her but she made no move to touch it, "I was Elias Sebastian Gold as you were Mary Margaret Blanchard-Gold."

Snow held his gaze as he drank but never took his eyes off hers, "I don't believe you." 

"That is your anger talking; I assure you I had no wish to play any part of these roles that your stepmother played for us."

She saw that he was just as angry as she was. His face was almost contorted with grief and rage and she heard the disgust in his voice.

"Why should you give up your power for 28 years?" Snow demanded.

"Self-preservation," he replied, "Regina had to believe she had all the power. I give you my assurances that if I had my memories for 28 years, I would never have laid a finger on you, princess. Why would I do that? After I worked so hard at getting you and your husband together, why would I do that to you?"

He wouldn't. He had…been forward in how he handled her but not in a way that ever convinced her he truly wanted her. She had always somehow known that that was a wall he used to make people uncomfortable.

Somehow…deep down, she believed his protests of innocence.

"Does she know that we're awake?" 

"No," he took another sip, "I don't believe anyone else is."

Snow looked up at him, and felt herself shaking, "She did this to us."

"She did."

"All of us…after I spared her."

"Mercy is a kindness," Rumpelstiltskin muttered, "But if you're not careful, it can be a weakness as well."

"She hurt Charming…she was going to kill Emma."

"Yes, she was."

Snow tried to make sense of it all…of her own memories and Mary's, "Emma is here."

"Not for long is Regina has anything to say about it." 

"I should," Snow started and stood as the walls in this house were closing in, "I should see her…I should talk to her."

"I do not believe that would be wise."

"Why not?"

"Regina has one of her patsies watching the Inn as we speak…they'll tell her you're there…and at this time, I do not think it to be wise if you risk exposing us unnecessarily as you have no idea what you are doing."

Snow heard the implication in his voice, "You think we should continue this farce so Regina doesn't suspect?"

He was grim, "Not the entire farce as I didn't want some of the more…intimate aspects any more than you did and despite that it was forced on us. However, if she suspects that we're both awake, then she will feel threatened. And you know what Regina does when she feels threatened."

No, she couldn't do that. She couldn't…stay in this house with him. She couldn't…be with him because they would have to continue pretending in such a way that Regina would believe that they didn't remember.

And they were very affectionate in public when together.

Another of Regina's punishments.

"No," Snow whispered and stood. She couldn't be here right now…the walls were…the walls were closing in. She needed to get out before she said or did something that she would regret.

She had to find her husband.

"I can't do that," she shook her head; "I can't do this."

"Snow, I would advise caution, I believe there is much to talk about still."

She grabbed her coat and nearly stumbled out of the door.

She couldn't be there. Not with the ending Regina had forced on her. Not with him.


	3. The Thing You Love Most

It was dark when Snow left the house…and she didn't know where else to go. The town was familiar to her but nowhere seemed safe.

So she went to the hospital. Visiting hours were over but since it was a small town and her Mary Margaret was a volunteer; no one made a bit fuss.

Her husband was there…strapped to all sorts of machines that not even her alternate completely understood. He had laid in this coma for 28 years and showed no sign of waking up.

What if he never did? What if the curse just froze his body long enough to die of his wounds when time moved.

The clock chimed outside…Snow closed her eyes. It wasn't 'when' now. Time was moving, the curse was weakening and she and Rumpelstiltskin as well as Regina remembered. If Snow did not keep up appearances then Regina might come in here and end her husband's life.

Or hurt Emma.

Snow felt her blood run cold. After 28 years…so many things she had missed. What was she supposed to do to make up for that? Any chance of really bonding with her daughter in a maternal sense was done now. There would be too many hurt feelings…too much bitterness. The world had not been good to Emma, Snow didn't know how she knew but she could sense it by the sad haunted look in Emma's eyes when she was Mary Margaret.

When she was Mary Margaret…

Mary Margaret was not gone. She was still kicking around in Snow's mind and it was…very uncomfortable. It was like having yourself and someone else talking as loud as they could at the same time. It was hard to hear yourself think and sometimes it was just unintelligible talking if she didn't concentrate hard enough.

How was she supposed to pick apart the two personalities in order to pass off as Mary Margaret Gold? What if she screwed up and Regina figured out that Snow remembered by a slip of the tongue?

And then there was her 'husband' to deal with. The great Dark One that everyone feared at home and here. He was evil incarnate and played everyone for his agenda. How did she deal with living with him on a daily basis? How did she stomach pretending to be his wife when her real husband lay here possibly dying? How did she deal with his public caresses and whatever they were supposed to be together behind closed doors?

How did she reel in that evil that he did without remorse?

She had to find a way though. For Emma's sake and Henry's and for Charmings. She had to find a way to play this game as long as she could and endure this sick twisted mockery of a marriage that Regina forced on her.

For her family's safety.

Snow heard the door to the small glass room open. She saw out of the corner of her eye that the intruder was wearing dark clothes and knew that it was her 'husband'.

Strange enough, it wasn't him that she was angry at. Oh, she knew that he had something to do with this curse and he wanted it cast…otherwise why would he allow it to happen? She was angry at that. But as far as his protests of innocence to what had been done to both of them, Snow somehow believed him.

He could've had any woman he wanted here if he wished it. Why should he choose her when he knew the curse would break?

"Snow," Rumpelstiltskin whispered.

"You took your time," she whispered and never took her eyes off her husband. Her hand went to fiddle with the ring on her finger; the engagement ring of his mother's that had led them to meeting.

"I thought you might want to be alone for a bit," he leaned on the cane, "but we must go to the house."

He was right, Snow knew it but the prospect of going back made her stomach clench. What did they do? Sit there and twiddle their thumbs and stare at each other? Plot and scheme together? Snow had to think of a way to survive this. Snow didn't love Rumpelstiltskin and she knew he didn't love her but their alternates did and she worried they both might have a hard time differentiating those feelings.

"I'd like to make a deal," Snow whispered.

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin said bitterly, "Because that always ends well for you."

"I will play this game. And I will play the dutiful wife in public and help you plot against Regina…for what she did to my family and everyone else. But when the time comes and my family remembers and I want to go to them…you 'll let me go."

"I'm not forcing you to stay."

"You know what I mean," she whispered, "No…trying to manipulate things for my companionship at your side or…whatever you might want. I'll be your ally for this…if things go well then I might be your ally after this…but when it's time to walk away…you'll let me walk away."

He looked down to his cane and twisted it absentmindedly with his fingers, "I believe that deal can be made."

Snow looked back at her husband, "Will he wake up?" 

"That, I do not know."

"If he does, will he have false memories?"

"I do not know that either."

Snow took one last look at her husband…so helpless in that bed and felt her stomach roll. She'd never seen him helpless a day in his life. Not like this. Even when he was at a disadvantage, he was still always fighting.

Snow slowly stood up and took the crook of Rumpelstiltskin's arm.

"And here we are," Rumpelstiltskin said, "A very unlikely alliance to be sure."

"Yet not an unexpected one," Snow muttered.

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "Well…to everyone else but Regina it may seem."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000

When they got inside the house, it was dark. Rumpelstiltskin turned on the front lamp and then turned to look at her. She saw some hesitation in his eyes. He looked down and cleared his throat, "Would you like something to eat?" 

Snow shook her head, "I dropped a dish in the kitchen earlier…I should clean it up."

She went to clean up the broken dish and the spilled food and after a few seconds heard Rumpelstiltskin's cane as it tapped along and he stood in front of her, "Snow….if you wish you may have the bedroom. I will sleep in the guest bedroom."

The offer was tender…almost gentlemanly. He was trying to make this easier, she knew that…but there was still a part of her that dragged her feet. He was Rumpelstiltskin. He had to have an agenda…that was how it always went with him.

And she just really didn't want to sleep in that bed. Not after….

Gods, every night for 28 years.

"Thank you," Snow gathered up the dustpan and threw the dish in the trash, "But I don't mind the guest room.

He understood her discomfort immediately and nodded, "As you wish."

"I'll….move my things to the room in the morning." 

"Take your time," he gave another small nod, "Sleep well, Snow White."

Snow swallowed and nodded herself, "You too, Rumpelstiltskin."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000

They had made a truce that night but Snow still slipped out early the next morning. She just couldn't sleep and so she wanted to go out and find something to distract herself with. So she went to work. She wanted to see her grandson; she wanted to make sure that he was still safe.

She wanted to make sure all these children were okay. They spent the last 28 years with parents that probably weren't theirs. Having to endure this false personality fighting for dominance was hard enough for her. She couldn't imagine what these little ones would do when they woke up and had to deal with this.

Suddenly her problem seemed mild in comparison.

She stood outside overseeing the children until it was past eight. The clock chimed and the children started crowding the yard. Snow watched them all and then caught a glimpse of Henry running into the school. He seemed happy and if he was happy, there was only one reason.

Emma stayed.

It was everything Snow had not to start sobbing and begging for her daughter's forgiveness right there…to reveal herself and confirm everything the boy believed was truth. It was everything she had not to tell her how much she loved her and why she had to abandon her. But she couldn't do that; not yet. There were too many ears and too many enemies.

She just wanted Emma to understand. But she knew that Emma wouldn't, she could practically see the walls that her daughter had surrounded herself with. That broke Snow's heart. Was this truly Emma's best chance?

Snow had to talk to her.

She reined in her emotions and approached her daughter. She had so much she wanted to tell her but she knew this wasn't the right time, "It's…good to see his smile back."

"I didn't do anything."

"You stayed," Snow told her gently. She stayed for him…and she would save all of them from this curse, "Does the Mayor know you're still here?"

It was a wonder Regina hadn't tried to kill her yet.

"Oh, she knows," Emma said in a way that made Mary realize that there was a story she hadn't heard yet, "What's her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected?"

"She's been qu- mayor for as long as I can remember," Snow told her daughter. She'd been queen far longer than she had a right to be, "No one's been brave enough to run against her."

At least in this world.

"She inspires…quite a bit of, well, fear," Snow continued and then remembered that she had to bring Emma's attention back to the book and her reason for being here, ""I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

He was right to think that, but once again, Snow couldn't confirm it.

Emma smiled slightly, "Who does he think you are?"

Mary Margaret, the woman who took Henry's beliefs with mild amusement, took over for a second and Snow didn't stop the words that came out of her mouth in time, "Oh, its silly."

"I just got five minutes of silly," Emma said with a grin, "Lay it on me."

Snow regained dominance over her mind and shoved Mary as far back as she could, "Snow White."

It felt so good to tell her daughter her name.

Emma's smile dissolved into shock and she stared at her with her mouth hanging open.

So, it appeared that Emma did know she was supposed to be the daughter of Snow and Charming.

Snow tried to play ignorant, "Who does he think you are?" 

"I'm not in the book," Emma said quietly and then seemed to get ahold of her, "Can I ask you a favor? Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?

Emma wanted to go find someone else already? They'd just started talking a few minutes ago!

Snow cleared her throat, "It's down the street across from the diner. Archibald Hopper, you can't miss it."

Emma smiled, "Thank you."

Snow watched her daughter until she was out of sight.

"Please stay," Snow whispered and turned back to the children.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000

Finding a compromise with the Mary Margaret personality was difficult, but somehow Snow managed to find a way to do it so that she could teach her class. Mary liked to be creative in how she taught the children so she took them outside to read to them. Snow loved the outdoors, it reminded her of home. The inside here was too….cut off. In the Enchanted Forest, it was easy to hear wind and rain and walk to the window to smell the woods outside but here…everything was better built and the indoors were like their own little world. You want heat or cool air? It was there by the flick of a switch. Lights were overhead and not candles that slowly burned. They called it science here, but Snow liked to think it was a sort of magic unto itself.

She heard the heels before she even looked up. Her blood ran cold when Regina strutted up like she'd won some sort of victory.

Snow tried to keep her face expressionless, but she bristled none the less. This woman was the reason that her daughter grew up without her…she was the reason Charming was in a coma and could die…this woman would kill her if she knew that Snow was aware of all of this.

"May I speak with my son?" Regina demanded in a tone that did NOT leave it as a question.

"We're in the middle of a lesson," Snow told her sharply, "Is it important?"

"Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?" Regina sneered and practically pulled her son away. When he got back, the smile he had on his face all morning was gone.

"Henry?" Snow asked with concern, "What happened?"

He shifted, "I know…I took your credit cards to find my mom and that was wrong and I'm sorry…but now I have to ask you for something else."

This had to do with Emma, Snow knew it. Emma had hinted that something had happened when they talked, "Anything."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow had to get someone to watch her class for her while she went to get Emma bailed out. It might backfire; Snow knew it…at least if she was in jail she was staying. If Snow paid her bail and Emma was driven out of town then she'd lose her daughter forever.

But this was the chance to see her again and so Snow went to the small bank and took some money out from the account that she and Rumpelstiltskin shared.

Henry was practically pulling her along until they reached the sheriff's department. He was as angry as she was. He was spouting 'Evil Queen this' and 'Evil Queen that.' Snow wasn't entirely sure what he was saying half the time, he was talking so fast.

"Hey!" Henry greeted and raced in towards Emma.

"Henry!" Snow recognized the Huntsman was the sheriff. It was a well-known secret that he and Regina were…

No! But they'd saved him in the Enchanted Forest. He got his freedom and now he was reduced back to her toy?

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham asked.

Snow held the envelope for bail in her hands, "His mother told him what happened."

"Of COURSE she did!" Emma said incredulously after taking a moment to realize that this life her son had was even more screwed up than she thought, "Henry, I don't know what she said-."

"You're a genius!" Henry told her excitedly.

Emma blinked, "What?"

"I know what you're up to!" Henry said, his eyes held awe and respect towards his mother, "You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra."

Graham looked at Snow and then Emma, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost."

"It's need to know, Sheriff," Henry said in as much of a professional voice as he could muster, "And all you need to know is that Mrs. Gold's going to bail her out."

Emma looked at Snow in confusion, "You are? Why?"

"I uh…" Snow caught herself before she could accidently give anything away, "T-trust you." 

Emma seemed pleased with that and held out her wrists, "Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do."

Snow watched as the sheriff took off the shackles (or handcuffs as they were apparently called here) and she stalked out.

Snow followed, "Emma, don't do anything in haste." 

'Oh, it's not a decision made in haste," Emma snapped, "I've been thinking about this since the sheriff put the cuffs on me!"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Breakfast and lunch were easily avoided with Rumpelstiltskin, dinner was unavoidable. The Dark One made it up to her though. He made some sort of beef stew that Mary favored and Snow liked it too.

Everything about the personalities was different. Not even food tasted the same between the two personalities.

And as they sat down to eat, Rumpelstiltskin told her what Emma had done.

"She…cut down one of Regina's apple tree branches?" 

"Yes!" Rumpelstiltskin said pleasantly, my spies flocked in and told me."

Snow raised an eyebrow, "You have spies?" 

Rumpelstiltskin took a sip of his water, "Never mind about that, but you should know that your daughter seems to have inherited your spunk. It was very entertaining. I opened the windows and let Regina's squawking fill the shop. I've never been so happy to hear it in my entire life. That eyesore had it coming."

Despite herself, Snow smiled at his glee.

Rumpelstiltskin noticed, "It's nice to see you smiling again."

Snow felt the smile leave her face. It wasn't him flirting, she knew that. It was an observation on his part, "What if Emma leaves?"

"She won't."

"What if she does? What if Regina's just too much for her and she leaves?"

Rumpelstiltskin poured more of the stew into his bowl, "From what I've seen, you and your daughter are a lot alike. Regina tries something and you just dig your feet in harder…and now that she has seen what Henry has as far as role models go…present company excluded of course, she'll wish to stay. It may not be what she completely wants or desires but she'll want to make sure her son is safe. And as long as she stays then we will work on her. Regina made a big mistake trying to drive her away. It just showed her all she needed to know about Henry's situation. Don't fret, Snow. The curse will be broken sooner than you think."

Snow nodded and played with her ring, "Okay."

Someone pressed the doorbell. They both looked towards the front and Snow stood up.

"No one visits us," Rumpelstiltskin muttered and followed her.

Snow saw that Emma was standing at the door and she rushed to pull it open. Emma turned back to face her when Snow opened the door. Something had happened. She was upset. She wasn't crying but Snow could see it in her face.

"Hey," Emma held out the envelope, "Just wanted to say 'thank you' and, um, pay you back the bail money."

Rumpelstiltskin walked up behind Snow and Emma's eyes widened for a minute and then Snow watched her put her mentally build her walls.

"Good evening, Emma," Rumpelstiltskin said jovially and put his hand on the small of Snow's back. She tensed at the familiar touch. When they were alone, he kept a respectful distance but now that they had to put on a show…she hadn't been prepared for that.

"Well darling, I have stuff to do at the pawn shop, so I'll see you later?" 

"Of course," Snow said with s forced smile.

He kissed her cheek and put his lips to her ear, "Now's the time to work on her."

Emma gave a polite smile as he passed her and gave her an incredulous look, "You're married to Mr. Gold?"

"It's a mutually beneficial arrangement," Snow said.

"Do you love him?"

Snow would rather not get into that as the technical aspects of what she felt and what Mary Margaret felt were entirely different, "You look like you need to talk."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000

Emma told Snow everything that happened as Snow made them cocoa. It was a comfort food for Mary Margaret and maybe she might like it too. Even her alternate personality was furious that Regina had used her son to hurt this woman just because she wanted to stay and make sure her son was okay.

Emma raised an eyebrow when she handed her the cup, "Cinnamon?"

Snow realized her mistake, "Oh, I'm sorry. I should've asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Emma said warmly, "When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?"

Snow searched for the right words, "It's strange. Ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we're…connected. And I know, it's crazy."

Emma smiled wryly, "I'm starting to re-evaluate my definition of crazy."

Snow smiled warmly, "For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."

"Of breaking and entering? Or just in general?"

She was innocent of everything that had happened to her because of the blood feud with Regina.

Snow hesitated, "Whatever makes you feel better." 

Emma looked down, "It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. I'm leaving."

Those two words hit Snow like a jolt and she nearly spilled her drink on herself. She couldn't leave! She had her family here! She had her destiny here! She couldn't run from that! Not with what Regina was doing to Henry!

"Thank you," Emma continued obliviously, for everything, but I think it's for the best." 

No, it wasn't. If she left then Regina had full reign.

"If I stay," Emma finished, "Henry's only going to keep getting hurt."

That was twisted thinking. Henry had been hurt far longer than when Emma came to town the other day.

Snow chose her words carefully, "What happens if you go? I think…the very fact that you want to leave, is why you have to stay. You care about him. Who will protect Henry if you won't?"

Emma looked hopeful at that…and almost inspired but then she slipped back behind that wall, "You could."

"I can only do so much, Emma."

Emma looked down at the cocoa, "I'm just here to make sure he's okay. I'm not here to take over his role as mother." 

"No one expects you to," Snow lied, "But he needs someone. Why can't it be you?"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Regina's damaged tree had garnered so much talk around the town that Rumpelstiltskin had to see it himself. So while Snow worked on Emma, he went to go see the Ice Queen.

He had a nice strategy in mind. He wanted to taunt her a little. He wanted her to remember who actually held the power in this town. He wanted her to know that the power was shifting but he didn't want to out and out say it. To do so might endanger innocent people and that included the savior and Henry.

He wasn't so much worried for Snow. As long as Regina believed that Snow didn't remember, she was safe. She wouldn't try to hurt Snow if she suspected Rumpelstiltskin was awake because Rumpelstiltskin felt nothing for Snow White beyond a slight fondness. It wouldn't hurt him in Regina's desired way to see her hurt. Rumpelstiltskin may not like it but life went on. His purpose for Snow was done; she'd given birth to the savior. He had no use for her. Now it might make him upset and it might hurt him a bit but not in the way that Regina wanted.

Not in the way it had gutted him when Belle died.

But while it wouldn't…completely upset him, he did have a sense to protect her. He didn't want her hurt if it wasn't completely necessary. She was the savior's mother, she was still…important. And since he did have a fondness for her, he didn't want her hurt.

This was why he was trying so hard to be pleasant and let her trust him.

The branch was already gone when he arrived but there were still some apples scattered on the ground, "What a mess."

"Not for long," Regina turned around. Even when she was speaking to his alternate, she never turned her back on him, "What can I do for you, Mr. Gold?"

"I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd pop by," he said without lying and pointed, "Lovely to see you in such high spirits."

Regina smiled, "Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance." 

"Emma Swan?" he practically purred, "Really?"

"Yes," Regina turned, "I imagine she's half way to Boston by now."

Rumpelstiltskin took a ripe apple, and laughed, "Oh, I wouldn't bet on that. I've just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked."

It was always fun to take the wind out of Regina's sails and watch her smile fall, "What?"

"Perhaps you should have come to me," he taunted. He and his alternate also loved reminding her that she couldn't get anything she wanted done without his help, "If Miss Swan is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course."

He always felt it was necessary to add that.

Regina didn't pick up on the subtle hint that he might remember. Mr. Gold never warned her there was a price, "I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore." 

"To which deal are you referring?" he asked, hoping that she'd pick up on the fact that he might remember. This was strategic. If she suspected he might remember then it made her scared of him. Regina put on a big front but she was always scared of what he could do and if she thought he was Rumpelstiltskin and not Mr. Gold well….her focus would be so much on him that Emma could get her work done.

"You know what deal," Regina said sharply.

The only deal they'd made in this world.

'Oh, right. Yeah," he smiled to himself, "The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?"

The triumphant look in Regina's eyes started to fade as she put two and two together. Good. Rumpelstiltskin thought he'd have to draw up a sign to wave in her face, "Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"

Well, it had been. He had foresight but not even he had known Regina was stupid enough to bring an aging boy to a town where no one aged. It was just fate.

"Whatever do you mean?" he said with a smirk

"Where did you get him?" Regina asked forcefully, as if that would make him talk, "Do you know something?"

He grinned; this game was just too much fun, "I have no idea what you're implying." 

"I think you do. Who was this woman, his mother, this…Emma Swan?"

They were about to find out.

"I would say you think you know exactly who she is," he told her simply, "I really must be going."

He started to walk away and Regina moved to block him, "Tell me what you know about her."

Rumpelstiltskin stared her down. Once, a lifetime ago, NO ONE dared stand in his way. Did she think she was could? "I'm not going to answer you, dear. So, I suggest you excuse me."

When she still refused to move, he leaned a bit closer. Just to remind her that she made a deal with him that allowed him to do anything he wanted when it came to handling her, _"Please_"

The terror in Regina's eyes was something that Rumpelstiltskin didn't want to take his eyes away from and he bit into the apple in his hand and moved past her.

He had gained control of everything in just three minutes.

It was a magnificent feeling and he tossed the apple over his shoulder as he walked away.

He never had a taste for apples after he met Regina.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow looked up from her place on the couch when the front door opened. Rumpelstiltskin limped through and shut the door behind him, "Good evening, dear."

Snow looked back down at the cup, "Emma was contemplating leaving."

"Well," he moved to sit in the winged chair that had been his for 28 years, "Whatever you said to her worked as she's staying. I saw her with her boy on the main street. Did you know your daughter could actually smile?"

"She was happy?" Snow asked.

He nodded with a smile, "Indeed."

"She's here for now," Snow noted and stood, "What happens if she runs again?"

"Yes, she's staying 'for now'," he started, "And that's all the time that we need. She wants a home…she just doesn't know about how to get one. Which is where we'll come in. And then your family will be intact."

Snow seemed unsure, but nodded, "I'm going to bed."

"Very well," he smelled cocoa, he was going to make him some.

Snow started to leave and then she turned back and looked like she wanted to say something.

"Yes dear?" 

"Thank you," Snow started, "For…how you've acted today."

He gave a small smile, "Of course, princess. You do not love me and I do not love you but that doesn't mean we can't be civil. Perhaps even friends, one day. Will you stay for breakfast in the morning?"

"I don't…," Snow cleared her throat, "I don't know. Maybe"

"It would be nice to have some company. We can talk about how we can get your daughter to lay down roots here."

"Okay," she gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Goodnight Rumpelstiltskin."


	4. Snow Falls

They had made a truce that worked. Snow slept in the guest room and he slept in the master room. They had breakfast together and dinner but most of the time it was silent other than asking about the other's day. Snow however was not blind; she saw the calculating look in Rumpelstiltskin's eyes. He was just waiting for something to happen so he could get control.

It was a truce and maybe a VERY uneasy alliance but it wasn't a friendship. Snow didn't feel like Rumpelstiltskin was…a companion. So in the evenings, she would go for long walks around the town after dark and just…think.

She thought about her daughter mostly…and how her child had to grow up alone. The papers said that she'd been bounced through foster homes and Snow heard a rumor that she'd gotten into a bit of trouble when she was younger and went to jail for it but there were no details.

Give Regina time.

Snow bristled at that. Regina would most definitely show Emma's personal life to anyone that would see it. Hadn't she been through enough because of Regina?

Because they sent her through the wardrobe?

Snow felt guilt like she always did when she thought about her decision. She had wanted to give her daughter her best chance but it was becoming more and more clear that it hadn't happened.

Well, what was the alternative then? Leaving her with them? She would've been cursed just like the rest of them and they wouldn't have been together. Regina would've killed her!

Regina would've killed her newborn baby daughter.

Snow hugged herself and walked down the street more slowly. No matter what happened, she couldn't get rid of the memory of her husband bleeding out on the floor…all because of her decision to banish and not execute Regina.

She'd made a mistake….her family was suffering for that mistake…she should've been a leader that day; a leader that made the hard decision that no one envied her making. Not the little 12 year old that wanted Regina's love and approval. She would've felt guilty…and maybe hated herself but she and her daughter and husband would've been together.

Snow didn't think anything of it when she passed the yellow bug and then stopped when she saw a flash of light. At first she thought someone was breaking into her daughter's car but then she saw Emma.

"Hey," Snow said and got her attention, "You okay?"

Emma looked for something to say, "Oh, in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten."

Snow felt her insides twist up at that. Her fault. Regina's fault…

"You're sleeping here?" she pretended to act shocked but she really wasn't. She had heard that Granny had been forced to kick her out. That depressed Snow as the real Granny would've told Regina where to go if she tried strong-arming her.

"Till I find a place," Emma showed her the newspaper.

"You decided to stay," Snow smiled. She had noted it when she saw that Emma had walked Henry to school but now it seemed a lot more permanent, "For Henry."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma climbed out of the car, "This town doesn't seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?" 

Yes, it was. Everyone had their place.

But Snow bit her tongue, "Must be the curse."

Close enough.

"Why are you out so late?"

"Well, despite the rumors, my husband doesn't keep me on a short leash," Snow inwardly cringed at calling Rumpelstiltskin her 'husband'. She was grateful they hadn't had to make any public appearances yet where they had to be together to play the part but that would be ending soon. Rumpelstiltskin had asked her when she wanted to 'practice' to make it believable but Snow put it off. Rumpelstiltskin didn't ask her after that, "I like to go on walks; it makes me feel better when I've had a long day."

There must've been something in her eyes because her daughter looked sympathetic, "From the looks of things, it went well."

"As well as it ever does," Snow said and looked for the right words, "Sometimes I think we made a mistake."

Emma leaned on the bug, "Tell me the sex is at least good."

Snow blushed, "Emma!"

Emma shrugged, "Is it?" 

Snow tried not to let the invading memories take over. Of Mr. Gold's touch and smell and feel…what he tasted like when he kissed her…what it sounded like when he told her he loved her…and how she had liked it.

No, how Mary Margaret liked it and loved him.

She gritted her teeth, "It's not bad. Just…sometimes it feels like we're different people when we're together like that."

"Is he good to you?" 

Mary nodded, "Guess if true love was easy, we'd all have it."

But getting true love WAS easy. Holding on to it…now that was the trick.

"You know, if things get cramped, we do have a spare room."

"Thanks but I'm not really the roommate type and I don't want to be the third wheel if the two of you are having problems. I do better on my own."

Snow stared at her daughter for a second just…to memorize her face. Every time she didn't see her, it was hard to believe that 28 years had passed but when she saw her….

She didn't want to leave her daughter to sleep in the car but Emma would not come, "Well, goodnight. Good luck with Henry."

"Yeah," Emma whispered and turned back to her car.

Snow kept looking over her shoulder until she was down the street.

0000000000000000000000000000

When Snow got home, she didn't find Rumpelstiltskin in the living room and she knew that he wasn't in bed yet. He didn't like to go to the master bedroom any more than she did. He wouldn't admit it but he was just as disgusted and traumatized by what had happened between them as Snow was. She imagined he was more traumatized in his own way. It wasn't often that someone else controlled the Dark One.

Of course they had three guest rooms but Rumpelstiltskin would be stubborn and sleep in that room. He didn't want Snow to realize he was that distressed.

But Snow knew. He made great pains not to go to that room until it was time to sleep.

She found him in the basement. He'd set up a spinning wheel down here. When they were 'asleep' Mary never came down here. This was where he worked to repair the odds and ends that he couldn't keep at work. But now it looked like he was slipping into his old persona down here where no one could see.

"You've come to seek me out, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin said when she stopped the surveyed the room, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Snow looked at his back, she wasn't afraid of him, it was just awkward between them, "Emma is sleeping in her car. I offered her one of the rooms here, I thought you should know."

"Did she take it?"

"No, it would appear not."

He kept spinning that wheel, "Well, I suppose that her need for a bathroom across the hall and a working hot shower will eventually overrule whatever worry caused her to say 'no' to you."

Snow looked down at her shoes.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah," Snow looked up, "Just thought you should know." 

"Well, I suppose we'll have to work harder at getting her a place to stay then," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"Yeah," Snow said and ambled upstairs.

A hot shower sounded good, it would give her time to think.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000

Snow looking forward to decorating the hospital with her kids, because it gave her the opportunity to see her soldiers that were injured in the last battle before the curse hit and watch her husband.

Of course they didn't know who she was, they just thought she was the nice volunteer that brought them flowers every night and held their hands.

The children did what they were told as Snow taught them how to handle the decorations but they moved like they knew what they were doing…like they were going through the motions more than they were just being taught over and over.

And Snow realized that Mary was taking over since this was her job and these were her kids to protect. Not Snow's. She was doing what she always did and that was instructing these children.

Snow turned away and tried to clear her head but Mary was still there. She was always there just underneath the surface.

Snow needed a distraction.

And luckily she saw it when she found her grandson in the room with her husband. She watched him reach towards his face…or was he reaching toward the oxygen tube? And she went to the door, "Henry, we could really use your help with the decorations." 

Henry looked up, "Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Mrs. Gold?"

Snow tilted her head slightly, "His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are."

She recognized the mischievous look in her grandson's eyes and knew that he was about to try what he could in getting information, "Who do you think he is?" 

Snow wanted to tell him that she believed him. It almost hurt her that she couldn't assure him that he wasn't insane but if she did then she knew that he might tell Regina that Snow believed him in the heat of one of their fights and everything would be for naught.

She had to keep silent and she was worried that it was killing her inside, "Just bring him flowers on my rounds."

"What's wrong with him?" 

"I don't know," Snow said. Rumpelstiltskin hadn't seemed to think he was slowly bleeding out of his injuries, but he didn't know why the man was still comatose, "He's…been like this as long as I've been volunteering." 

Well, it wasn't a complete lie.

"Does he have any family of friends?" Henry asked, still trying to get her to realize she was Snow White.

Snow kept up her poker face, "No one's claimed him."

"So, he's all alone."

That struck her deep. They both knew a lot about that, didn't they? "Yeah…it's quite sad."

"You sure you don't know him?" 

"Course I'm sure," Snow lied. Well…it wouldn't be a complete lie, would it? Not really…she didn't know his alternate.

That's what she would tell herself.

"You shouldn't be in here," she said.

Henry gave one last look at the man and moved towards the door. Snow ruffled his hair affectionately and led him away from his grandfather.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When Emma visited Snow in the house and told her what she wanted her to do later that day, it couldn't have been a more perfect plan.

But Snow played ignorant, "You want me to read to a coma patient?"

"Henry thinks it will help me remember who he is." Emma explained.

This was good. This was very good, and Snow hid her smile because she was curious to know, "And who does he think he was?"

Emma stopped, "Prince Charming."

Snow tried to suppress the excitement in her chest. Reading their story to him? Why didn't she think of that? "And if I'm Snow White, he thinks me….and him…"

Emma looked apologetic, "He has a very active imagination, which is the point. I can't talk him out of his beliefs, so we need to s how him. Play along, do what he says and maybe, just maybe." 

Snow took her daughter's advice more than Emma realized. She wasn't lying to her daughter, she was humoring her. Showing her that her beliefs were wrong. She was playing along with Emma ignoring what was right in front of her and maybe…just maybe she'd believe.

"He'll see that fairy tales are just that," Snow said, playing along, "That there's no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss…he'll see reality."

"Something like that," Emma looked down. Snow realized her daughter wasn't exactly willing to crash her son's dream.

"Well, sadly the plan is rather genius. We might get him to the truth without actually hurting him."

Of course nothing would 'hurt' Henry like knowing he was right.

"I told him that we will wall meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny's and you will give a full report."

Snow smiled, "Well, I suppose I'll get ready for my date. I guess I'll have to do all the talking."

She had to take another drink to hide her excited smile.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

Rumpelstiltskin got take out from the diner that night and he and Snow ate in the living room together and went over a map of the town

"There's a cabin here," Rumpelstiltskin pointed, "That you and I…went to often."

"Yes, I remember."

"Regina doesn't go into the woods, she's not a fan of them because they remind her of home I imagine…she wouldn't search there herself and her little genie magic mirror friend might not either but….the Huntsman would. We can't set up a small base there." 

"What about the attic? Put on a new lock, and if Regina suspects we know something, we can say that the lock broke…the key broke off in the lock. It has been 28 years-."

"Yes, but nothing wears out in this little bubble we're in. Everything stays as if it's new."

"So what do we do then?" Snow asked.

"Memorize everything. Memorize who everyone is and who they're supposed to be and start setting up the savior to start reuniting them."

"I'm not sure I Like the idea of manipulating my daughter's actions."

"You want to tell her the truth, then? I know the idea of manipulating your child doesn't sit well but it has to be done."

Snow rubbed the back of her neck. The next question wasn't vicious, but it was curious, "How many times have you had to tell yourself that?"

"Far too much," he muttered sadly.

Snow looked down at her meal, she wasn't hungry anymore.

"Emma wants me to read to Charming," she finally told him, "She thinks it'll convince Henry that fairy tales are just fairy tales."

"What's stopping you?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, "You're not going to prove her right, if that's what you're worried about."

'That's not it." 

"Then what?" 

"I'm waiting for visiting hours to end so no one will bother me."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled, his doubts about her seemed to dim in his eyes a little, "Clever girl."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

When Snow walked into the hospital, the hallways were dimmed. No one paid attention to her as she walked determinedly down the hallway to the small room that her husband was comatose in.

She sat by his side and opened the book, "Okay Charming, if you won't wake up by yourself then it looks like I'll have to wake you up. Now our daughter doesn't believe we exist, so I'm hoping this works because it'll convince her."

She opened the book and started reading. The minutes turned into an hour as she read over the words that were uncomfortably accurate (who wrong this book?!), but she continued, determined to tell her husband their story.

And then he reached out and grabbed her hand.

Snow jumped when he did so, and for a second she put her hand on his, "Charming?"

The door opened and Dr. Whale walked in, "What's going on?"

"He's waking up," Snow declared triumphantly. He was waking up, he would remember who he was and he could convince Emma and they could be together.

"That's impossible," Whale looked at the machine that recorded his vitals.

Snow shook her head. She knew what she felt, "No, I'm sure he's waking up. He….he grabbed my head."

The Doctor's look was dubious at best, "Everything's steady. The same as it's always been. What were you doing in here?"

The reasoning sounded stupid and she was aware of that before it was out of her mouth, "I was just…reading h-him a story."

"Oh well, perhaps you um…," he paled, he looked down at Mary Margaret's wedding ring just to remind himself who she was married to and realized he needed to tread carefully, "Dozed off. Perhaps you imagined it."

Snow narrowed her eyes, "I didn't imagine anything."

"Mrs. Gold," Dr. Whale said like he was tired, "I can only tell you what I see, which is nothing. Sometimes there are minor fluctuations in readings. Perhaps you heard the machine register something and misunderstood."

Snow held her gaze. She knew he grabbed her hand.

"Look," he offered, "Why don't you go home, get some rest. If anything changes, I'll call you, okay?"

She rolled her eyes and brushed past him. He wouldn't call her, she knew that easily enough.

Snow meandered a bit and pretended like she was buttoning her blouse. She knew her husband grabbed her. She felt it in his touch.

"It's Doctor Whale," she heard him say. Snow looked over her shoulder and saw that he was talking on his phone. She really shouldn't listen in but it was suspicious that he was calling now.

"You told me to call you if there was ever a chance in the John Doe. Something's happened."

Snow was too far away to hear the voice on the other side.

"One of our volunteers said he grabbed her. And there was a slight fluctuation in brain activity."

Snow drew in a sharp breath. He'd lied to her. Why had he done that?

Because he had to be working for the only person that wouldn't want anyone to know about Charming's condition.

It seemed Regina had him in her pocket too.

Snow felt dizzy for a second. She put her hand on one of the beds and adjusted herself. If she knew that he woke up…she would do what she could to keep him from waking up. She might hurt him.

"It was Mary Margaret Gold."

They were in trouble.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Snow didn't stop at the master bedroom door or feel disgust with herself or guilt that she should've known something was wrong at any time for 28 years. No, she ignored Mary Margaret's memories and barreled through the door. Rumpelstiltskin was still sleeping on his side of the bed…her side was empty still. Snow wasn't sure what she expected. Maybe him sprawled out a bit more?

She grabbed his good leg and shook it, "Rumpelstiltskin."

He sat up with a start. Snow instinctively backed away. Rumpelstiltskin looked around in confusion and then gave her that same confused look, "What?"

"We need to talk, something's happened."

He sighed and reached over. Snow blinked at the light and then noticed he was sleeping with no shirt on. His muscles showed just underneath his lithe body. She looked away to give him privacy.

"What's happened?" he pulled on his silk pajama shirt and reached for his cane, "What's wrong." 

"Charming grabbed me."

He looked grim, "I trust that horrified look in your eyes isn't because you realized you loved me more and ran into my arms because dearie, I'm not interested in you."

Snow ignored the bitter joke, "Regina knows."

She saw the worry in his eyes, "Whale?"

Snow nodded.

"Did you give anything away?" 

"No, not to him." 

"Then you're still safe," he said, "She'll just think it's a weakening curse first, she won't figure out that you were awake unless she saw you do something and reading him a story was something Emma suggested."

He took her face in his hands, "There's no need to be frightened, dearie. You're safe."

"What about Charming?"

"Now that's a bit trickier," he pulled his hands away at the mention of her true husband. I have my own spies at the hospital; they can make sure he's looked after."

Snow nodded and put her hand on his arm, "Thank you."

He noticed and she drew it away, "Sorry…Mary's actions.."

"Are you sure it was her, dearie? Is it really so hard to show me actual kindness?"

"I have," Snow said.

"You're capable of more compassion than what you've shown me recently," he glanced to the bed, "Is it because of where we are? What we were? I thought you didn't blame me for that"

"I don't," Snow looked around and tried to think of the right thing to say, "Every time I think about what I'm supposed to do…to be…to play this role…every time that I try to tap into Mary's memories, I get flooded with feelings and sensations and other memories that I know I didn't ask for. And they're usually of you and when I try to imagine my time with Charming, Mary gets frustrated or something and slams me with memories because she thinks this is her body still and she should be the dominant one. There are feelings for my Mary Margaret to your Mr. Gold. She loved him very much…and that's hard to control because it's easy to slip into Mary Margaret's mind…sometimes the mindsets risk bleeding together and so I have to keep you at arms distance or else I'm worried that Mary Margaret's feelings will take over…and I can't have that."

"I wouldn't let it."

"Can you control your Mr. Gold memories? Cause if so, then I need lessons."

He gave a small smile, "Is it so hard to at least be my friend?"

"What if it leads to other things and we lose control of ourselves?" 

"I doubt it'll happen, dearie. You like tall, boring, overly muscled men who rush in and save the day and while I enjoy lovely dark haired women, you have far less hair than I would like in a wife. We have our types and the other in this partnership is not it. We have more control over our alternates than you think."

"I want more control over her though."

"I can understand that, and I think there's someone we might be able to see about that." 

"Who?" she tilted her head, "Does someone else remember?" 

"Not sure yet," he took her hand and pressed his lips tenderly against the back of it, he straightened up and put his hand over hers, "Don't worry, dearie…you can be friends with me without worrying about losing yourself."

She looked up guiltily, "I'm sorry." 

"Don't be. I understand how powerless you felt and that fear you have to lose control again."

Snow closed her eyes, "I just…felt like I should've known what was happening was wrong…that I could've stopped it somehow."

"She buried us too deep in our own consciousness, we couldn't have known. And if I didn't know then you certainly wouldn't have." 

Snow nodded, "I have to meet Henry and Emma for breakfast in the morning. I should…try to get some sleep."

He nodded and gave her a small smile, "Goodnight, your majesty."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow didn't sleep last night, she had nightmares. Her conversation with Rumpelstiltskin had put several things in the front of her mind and she was awake and ready by five….but she stayed and had breakfast with Rumpelstiltskin. She doubted anyone would want to eat when she told them what happened.

Rumpelstiltskin told her that Charming was fine at breakfast. NO one snuck in to put poison in his IV or an air bubble or whatever would do the trick.

Snow rushed to the diner. She needed Emma; Emma could somehow get him to wake up. Snow wasn't sure yet but….Emma would figure it out.

"She's here," Henry said.

Emma whispered something to Henry as Snow plopped down, "He woke up."

Emma's eyes nearly popped out of her head, "What?!"

"I knew it!" Henry said triumphantly.

Snow realized what it sounded like and carried, "I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand."

"He's remembering!" Henry practically cheered.

"What did the doctor say?" Emma asked, clearly searching for a logical explanation.

"That I imagined it," Snow said with a wave of her hand, "But I'm not crazy. I know it happened." 

"We have to go back," Henry declared, "You have to read to him again."

Snow feigned looking thoughtful and then she nodded, "Let's go."

She and Henry stood up, Emma barely followed, "Wait, wait, what?"

"If I got through to him, if we made a connection…" 

Emma looked horrified, "You don't believe-."

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not," Snow lied, "But somehow, some way….I touched him."

She turned to follow Henry out the door. Emma fell behind. She was probably going through every argument in her head about how this was impossible but she followed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000

Snow knew that something was wrong as soon as she walked into the hospital and she saw Graham standing there and Regina was in Charming's hospital room.

The bed was empty. Snow stopped and felt her blood freeze as she stared at that empty bed. Something happened, she knew it would.

Henry rushed past her, "You're right! He's waking up!"

"Henry," Graham moved towards him, "You should stay back."

Snow got ahold of herself and looked inexpressive. She couldn't ruin this, she had to be smart but what if her husband was dead? "What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?"

"He's missing," Graham said.

Regina stormed out and Snow bristled. She'd done something, she couldn't let Snow be happy, she had to make innocent people get hurt to hurt her.

"What are you all doing here?" Regina demanded and then looked at Henry, "And you- I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"

Regina wasn't looking, so Snow rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let Regina make herself look like the victim, "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?"

Regina looked over her shoulder at that one.

"We don't know yet," Graham said, "His IVs were ripped out but there was no sign for sure there was a struggle."

Henry looked at Regina, "What did you do?"

Snow had the same question but her heart was hammering in her chest, what if Regina killed Charming? '

She fought tears of panic.

"You think I had something to do with this?" Regina feigned shock.

"It is curious that the Mayor is here," Emma said.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact."

Snow felt the air being driven from her lungs, "You know him?" 

"I found him. ON the side of the road years ago with No ID. I brought him here."

"Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale said.

Snow felt her breakfast start to come up. What sort of sick joke was that?

"Will he be okay?" Snow asked.

"Okay?" Whale said in a way that made her feel stupid, "The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. HE needs to get back here right away or honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream."

"Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking," Emma said.

"That's what we're doing," Regina sneered, even though standing around was exactly what they were doing, "Just stay out of this, dear."

Snow bristled. Even Mary was furious that Regina talked to her daughter like that.

"And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious."

Snow dug her fingers into her palm until they bled. If she did something to him….

"Doctor," Graham looked up, "How long between your rounds since you last saw him?"

"Twelve hours or so,"

"Then that's what we need to account for," Graham deduced.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It was with great relief for Snow that as she watched the video next to two of what used to be her royal guard that Regina had nothing to do with Charming's disappearance. He got out and walked out. He was safe.

As safe as he could be. They had to find him before Regina did.

But the relief that he wasn't dead yet made her feel lighthearted. He was safe from Regina's clutches for now. They could still find him; maybe this was what was needed to weaken the curse more.

So, now they were in the woods, searching. Graham was tracking and they stayed behind him. Snow kept an eye on him, Regina had his heart probably…they'd never been able to find it; she'd hidden it when they got him out of there. If she still had it and if she controlled him, it would be very easy for him to kill Charming.

Or kill all of them here.

"What is it?" Emma asked when he stopped.

"The trail runs out here," he told them.

"You sure?" Emma asked with narrowed eyes, "I thought tracking was one of your skills."

"Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it," he moved away.

"Right," Emma muttered, "Sorry."

Snow was at her daughter's side, "Isn't finding people your thing too?"

"Sure," Emma said, "Just, people I find usually run to places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods."

"That's an interesting job," Snow nodded; this wasn't the best place to get to know her daughter but she was taking any opportunity. The only thing she knew about her was what the rumors were saying, "Finding people. How'd you fall into it?"

"Looking for people is just what I've done," Emma shrugged, "As long as I can remember."

"What made you start? Your parents?" Snow realized she just might've overstepped herself, "Henry told me that your…th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?"

"Depends on who you ask," Emma said.

What was that supposed to mean?

They heard a crack of a branch behind them and they both turned to see Henry running down the hill.

"Henry!" Snow scolded.

"Did you find him yet?" Henry asked.

"No, not yet," Emma said flustered, "You shouldn't be here!"

"I can help! I know where he's going!"

That got Snow's attention, "And where's that?"

"He's looking for you!" Henry said, "You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!"

"Henry, it's not about me!" Snow said. She knew this already, she didn't want to be reminded of it, "I just…I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."

"But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him and let him find you."

_I will always find you. _

_ You found me._

_ Did you ever doubt I would? _

Snow turned away for a second so they couldn't see her face.

"Kid, you need to go home," Emma wasn't paying attention, "Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again."

"She dropped me at the house. Then, went right out."

Crap, she was searching too.

"Well," Emma moved towards him, "We need to get you back immediately."

"NO!" Henry protested.

"Guys!" Graham called.

They rushed over and saw the hospital bracelet was on the ground…with something red.

"Is that…," Snow started, but she didn't even need to ask

"Blood," Emma confirmed.

Snow let out a sharp exhale of air, "He's heading towards the toll bridge." 

"You're sure?"

Graham nodded, "That's the only thing out here." 

Snow moved past him, "Let's go."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 

Snow hoped she was right once they broke the clearing. There was apparently enough to back up her theory that he'd gone here. Graham found another trail.

"Where is he?" Snow asked, "Can you see him?"

"The trail dies at the water line," Graham said.

They looked around and then…in the water…he was laying on his side. Snow felt a jolt and rushed forward "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"

Graham was close behind; HE grabbed his walkie and pressed the button, "I need an ambulance! At the Toll Bridge as soon as possible."

He was much too heavy for Snow to lift by herself. He was unconscious and completely dead weight. Graham helped her. Emma lifted his legs and they dragged him to shore.

"No," Snow sobbed when she realized how blue he was and that he wasn't breathing, "No, no, no, no, no, no! I found you!"

_Please don't die now, I found you. I Love you. _

"It's going to be okay," Emma assured them.

"Help's coming Graham nodded.

"Is he okay?" Henry asked in a panic.

"Henry," Emma breathed and rushed over to her son.

"Is he going to be okay?" Henry begged and looked to Emma for reassurance. She rushed over, embraced him and pulled him away from the scene.

"Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look."

"Come back to us," Snow forgot where she was…she forgot who she was supposed to be and started CPR. Tears were pouring down her face and she couldn't see, "Come back to me."

She put her lips on his and as soon as she did, he jerked under her and started breathing. He turned over and coughed up water. Snow rested her hands on his face and smiled.

He was awake. He was alive….

"You saved me," he whispered.

Snow's smile brightened. _Charming. _

"She did it!" Henry said with a smile in his voice, "She did it. She woke him up."

"Yeah kid," Emma said; Snow could hear the exhaustion and shock in her voice, "She did."

"Thank you," the John Doe whispered.

Snow searched his eyes for any recognition, "Who are you?"

He looked scared for a second, "I don't know."

She felt her spirits fall a bit. He didn't remember her…

"It's okay," she whispered. He was alive and he was awake and she saved him. That was good enough for now, "You're going to be okay."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

It was chaos when they brought him back. Nurses and doctors crowded the gurney that he was being wheeled in on and took him through the glass double doors.

Snow fiddled with Charming's mother's engagement ring on her right hand. It was nothing like the expensive rock on her left ring finger but she barely acknowledged that other than it was there. Even Mary Margaret always used to fiddle with that ring.

Someone brushed past the four of them. She raced in so fast that Snow didn't get a look at her face.

Whale went to stop her, he tried to persuade her to leave but she wouldn't take her eyes off Charming.

"Who is that?" Snow asked to no one in particular.

Snow heard the clacking of the heels before she heard the voice, "His wife."

And the small victory that Snow felt turned to ash the minute Regina made herself known.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"His name is David Nolan," Regina said. She didn't show it, but they could hear her sneering practically, "And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood."

Regina turned to talk to Henry about a grounding that she portably wouldn't enforce anyway but Snow stared at Princess Abigail and the way she smiled at David.

No, no, no, Abigail had found happiness with Frederic…what had she done to end up in Regina's crosshairs?

Kathryn was her name here. She turned and walked out, "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David."

Snow struggled for something to say, "Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't…you didn't know that he was here in a coma?" 

What if this was never her purpose? Was it possible to tweak someone's memories of the curse this easily?

Did that mean that Regina could easily find out they were awake and make them sleep again?

"A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made."

"You didn't go look for him?" Emma even sounded like she didn't believe it.

"I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I Never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance." 

Snow felt like she was going to be ill. If he healed and went home and they…Regina was going to use them as puppets to do what Snow and Rumpelstiltskin had done for 28 years.

She shuddered. This poor girl wasn't even part of their war.

Snow had to get him away from her.

But she nodded, "That's wonderful."

Doctor Whale entered, "Well, it's something of a miracle."

"He's okay?" Kathryn asked.

"Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all." 

So there was still time…he could remember.

"What brought him back?" Snow asked. If there wasn't a logical explanation to it then maybe Emma could believe. Snow could at least do that right.

"There's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."

Snow watched Emma put up her defenses, "He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?"

"He woke up and was delirious and his first instance was to go find something, I guess." 

"Someone," Henry said pointedly.

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asked.

"Yeah, of course," he led her back to David's room.

"Henry," Regina sounded bored with her game, "Let's go." 

"Wait," Henry turned around, "My backpack."

He grabbed it and turned to Snow, "Don't believe them! You were the one he was looking for."

Snow just felt….so tired, "Henry…"

"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story." 

"Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him," she was too exhausted to really play his game…but she couldn't say anything else with Regina right there.

"No! It's because you belong together!" 

"Henry!" Regina called

Snow moved to the window and fiddled with her ring. She watched as Kathryn hugged David. He just barely returned it and he didn't take his eyes off her.

It was too much. She felt her eyes filling with tears and she turned away.

He was safe. He was alive….that should be enough.

But something deep down in Snow knew it wasn't.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin handed her a cup of the cinnamon cocoa that she loved and sat beside her on the couch. He was close but Snow didn't feel uncomfortable. She sort of wanted him there with her…of all the things that happened today, at least she had him and in their own little way….there was a safe haven for her here and he was part of that. After all, Regina wouldn't dare go against him bold faced.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "That my spies didn't do an adequate job." 

"Your spies wouldn't have been able to stop what happened with Abigail," Snow whispered and stared down at her mug 

"I'm sorry for that too."

Snow nodded.

"It's a very hard thing having those you love ripped from you over and over," he said simply.

Snow looked at him, her curiosity got the better of her, "What would you know about it?" 

It wasn't a malicious question…just a gentle one.

He smiled slightly, "Perhaps I'll tell you one day."

Snow looked back at the fire, "I need to keep working on him…I Need him to remember."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything, but he was grim, "Indeed?"

"I just….don't want to drag Abigail into this."

"Too late for that, dearie. She's involved."

Snow sighed and rubbed her eyes, "It's going to be messy enough when they all wake up and he finds out about us. I don't want to further complicate it."

"What are you working on?"

"I don't know," Snow whispered, "I'm still working through it."

"Take your time, we certainly aren't going anywhere."

Snow looked at him, "Did you get anything accomplished today?"

"Yes," he straightened up, "I think I may have found someone to help us with the problem we have in…controlling these alternates. Tell me, have you ever heard of a portal jumper by the name of Jefferson?"

She shook her head, "How does he remember?" 

"He always has."

Snow furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

"I'm sure he'll fill you in when we go see him soon," Rumpelstiltskin stood up.

Someone rang the doorbell.

"I got it," Snow stood up and went to answer it.

Emma stood there…and when she saw that they both were home, she looked uneasy, "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"No disturbance at all, dear," Rumpelstiltskin smiled, leaned on the cane and took in the sight of their savior, "I've heard you're staying. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Emma said and shifted.

Snow sent him a look over her shoulder. This wasn't warming her up to them!

Emma cleared her throat and looked at both of them, "Is that spare room still available?"

Snow nodded, and tried to suppress her joy that her daughter wanted to stay and she opened the door wider, "Come in. Have you eaten?" 

"Um…," Emma looked around the house, "Not really."

"I'll make you something."

"No, there's no need."

"I insist," Snow said and gestured her to go to the kitchen, "Go on."

Rumpelstiltskin moved past Emma and put his hand on Snow's arm, "She's laying down roots….this is a good thing."

"I know," she put her hand on his and moved to take care of her daughter, "I know."


	5. Price of Gold

Snow hadn't really anticipated the problems that would come with her inviting her daughter to live with her and Rumpelstiltskin. When she had done so, she had forgotten that she was supposed to be married. She was supposed to be happily married and affectionate to her husband. That was the Storybrooke view anyway.

But they weren't affectionate. They were civil and working towards what MIGHT be a friendship…

And that didn't pass for a marriage.

"How come you sleep in separate rooms?" Emma asked one day. She was waiting for her stuff to be delivered, she'd have to go out of town to get it because the town was cloaked, but there was a small town a few miles down the road where she would retrieve it. Emma had been furious that they wouldn't send it to Storybrooke. She might understand if she just opened her eyes to the truth.

Snow had hesitated for a second, "People sleep in separate rooms all the time, Emma."

"Yeah, but not every night," Emma muttered.

"He snores," Snow had said simply and took a quick sip of her cocoa.

And now that Emma noticed something wasn't right, Snow had cornered Rumpelstiltskin in his shop and told him that they couldn't put it off anymore. They had to practice now.

The back of the shop was no place for this, but with the curtain closed and the shades drawn on the back door, no one could see them.

"I don't want to get hit or stabbed by your husband when he wakes up," Rumpelstiltskin had told her as they stood in front of each other, "So I'm not going to make you feel like I'm violating you; the kisses will be chaste but passionate enough to NOT look like an eighth grade boy kissing the girl he likes at one of the balls they have here."

"Okay," Snow shifted, "Holding hands is okay."

"What about face touching?"

"Only for when the kiss calls for it. Not like 'good morning' kisses, I don't want to wake up having you pawing my face off and running your hands through what little hair I have left."

"Which is a shame you know," he looked her over, "Your hair WAS quite lovely."

Snow touched her short hair, "Well, I guess Regina wanted to take as much of my identity as she possibly could"

He frowned, "Such a shame."

Snow cleared her throat, "What about you? What are your rules for affection?"

He shrugged, "Don't lose your mind and grope me?"

Snow raised her eyebrow, "Is that a joke?"

"Snow, I'm a man that's 300 years old. And before your Mary Margaret, the last bit of affection I had was a kiss that was approximately four years before the curse hit. I'm not against a lady's affections."

Snow smirked, "So you HAVE kissed women before?" 

"Don't worry, dearie. I won't kiss you like I've kissed them. Charming would never get you back if that happened."

Snow's smirk dropped.

"Now," he put his hands on her shoulders and Snow felt a bit insulted when he looked a bit ill, "Remember that this has to be done and be a dear and remind your husband when he wakes up."

"I will," Snow promised.

Rumpelstiltskin pressed his lips against hers and she tensed. He didn't…smell bad. He smelled like old spice. Looking at him back home, one would think that with his rotting teeth and lizard skin, he might smell disgusting but she remembered her just smelled like herbs and the earth.

She wasn't sure why she expected this to be any different.

His kiss was a LOT chaste than an eighth grade boy kissing a girl he liked. This was a pitiful kiss. Snow mentally sighed to herself, grabbed the lapels of his jacket, pulled him closer and deepened the kiss.

He was…all wrong. He wasn't like Charming at all. There was no warm or love in the kiss that he gave her like there was with Charming. It was all formal. He moved differently, he didn't envelop her in a hug like Charming did, he held her hips.

Snow pulled away first. It wasn't a great kiss, even Mary hadn't seemed to like it very much or she'd have been giving advice because Snow wasn't doing her part.

"Your breath smells like cinnamon cocoa, how much of that do you drink?"

Snow frowned, "That was pitiful."

"Indeed," he straightened his coat, "Now what?" 

They had to keep up the charade. If a stranger out of town noticed something was different, how were they supposed to fool those that knew them for 28 years?

Snow stepped closer, "We do it again."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 

What progress they made was small. But it was enough to satisfy the Mary Margaret and Mr. Gold alternates and so they called it a day.

"We may have to start sharing a room sometimes," Snow said as Rumpelstiltskin drove up to the house on the hill. The Mary Margaret in her told her that the old house was supposedly haunted and the man that lived up there was a maniac.

According to Rumpelstiltskin, that was just a ploy that Regina used. She didn't have warm feelings for the man on the hill and she wanted to isolate him.

"Is that something you want?" he asked.

"Not really, but I can sleep on the couch."

"That's not a comfortable couch."

"The one in the guest bedroom is though, we could share that room. And Emma's room is right next to the master room, so we don't have to…bang the headboard against the wall or something"

"So we sit in your room and twiddle our thumbs?" 

"I think we could use that time to strategize."

He smirked, "You're slipping into this whole undercover thing very well, do you know that?"

Snow smiled despite the situation, "If it wasn't a matter of life or death, it might be fun."

"Oh, that just makes it more exciting," he pulled up to the house and turned off the car.

This was the house? It looked more like a hotel. How was this a punishment?

"What's your story with this man?" Snow asked.

"We ran together for a while," he put his hand on the door of the car, "He and I…um…worked with Regina on a job shortly after she married your father. They worked a couple of jobs together after that and then he married and had a daughter. The woman died and he was alone raising the child until Regina came along and separated him from her and carried them both over here completely separate. He remembers, she does not…and he's spent 28 years watching her and never being able to get close."

Snow shuddered. Her complaint about her 'ending' for 28 years seemed to pale now, "How awful."

They walked up the stairs to the door. It opened right before they reached t. The man that opened the door was tall…he would be handsome if not for the sadness in his face. He had large beautiful blue eyes. Snow looked down at his clothes to see that he was eccentrically dressed. He wore a suit but it was a purplish gray one with matching vest and cravat that covered his neck.

How did he breathe?

He looked her up and down, "You're Snow White?"

"Yes."

"Mother of the Savior?"

"Yes."

He looked between both of them, "You two should've really closed your blinds for 28 years."

Snow felt her blood boil, "You watched?" 

"I most certainly did not! But I got more than what I wanted to see when I was looking for my daughter," he looked at Rumpelstiltskin, "You DID tell her about my daughter, didn't you?" 

"Yes Jefferson," Rumpelstiltskin said, "You two can bond over your lost children."

"I'll help you but for a price," Jefferson told Snow, "You have to get your daughter to talk to me…you have to get her to make magic."

"She doesn't think she can do that." 

"Then MAKE her."

"That's not how it works," Snow said, "She's a skeptic. She believes in logic."

"Magic is logical!" Jefferson argued.

"Not here," Snow told him simply, "We don't have magic here."

"Not naturally at least," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"Is this world all about hat whole science, thing?" Jefferson asked Rumpelstiltskin, "Because you're going to have to deal with Victor's gloating then."

"Victor will be too drunk to care."

Snow looked at both of them, "Who on earth is Victor?"

"Never mind," Jefferson said sharply, "Can you get Emma to talk to me or not."

"Can I at least get her somehow believing in magic first? "

"I don't care, I want my daughter."

Snow matched his gaze, "And I want mine. But I can't have her yet because she doesn't know who I am and she thinks this magic thing isn't real. I'll have to work on her first."

"Then I don't help you."

He started to close the door and Snow put her foot against it, "You spent decades separated from your daughter? So did I. Don't throw away your chance at seeing her because I ask for time to work on getting Emma to believe. But if you prefer, you can leave this house on the hill and talk to Emma yourself. See where that gets you."

He hesitated and bit his thumbnail, "Okay…but if she starts believing, you send her to me."

Snow held his gaze, "Deal."

Jefferson didn't seem as satisfied with that and he let them in, "The imp's starting to rub off on you."

"Worse things have happened," Rumpelstiltskin said with a smirk.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 

"You'll never get rid of your alternate," Jefferson told them and served them tea, "They'll always be in your head…two conflicting personalities always at war with each other for dominance. You'll never have a peaceful moment in your own mind again."

Snow looked at Rumpelstiltskin, "Can't you do anything?"

"Magic is different here, when the curse breaks, we'll see," Rumpelstiltskin took a teacake and bit into it, "The food is a lot different here." 

"To some benefits and not others," Jefferson muttered, "The tea is terrible here, the only reason I serve it is because it's hospitable to do so."

Snow put her teacup down, "If I can't get rid of her, can she at least be controlled?" 

"I found a way…but it may or may not work with you like it did with me." 

"Right now, I'd be willing to try anything."

Jefferson leaned forward, "My alternate personality is an agoraphobic party boy that overdosed in the big city and came here to dry out. So when I first started here, I couldn't even step outside without him screaming in my head to get back inside. The memories were so bad that it even started affecting my body; my heart would race and I would get dizzy when outside. So to solve the problem, I….started doing things that my true self would do. I read books and translated them in the languages I knew. I made hats and tailored clothes…I watched my daughter…and my true self started to get dominant…like a muscle that was hurt and needed to be exercised to be stronger."

"So…to be myself I would…need to do things that Snow White would do and not Mary Margaret?"

"I would suggest you do a lot of it because I'm up here by myself. You live and work around people and things that Mary Margaret is surrounded by." 

"Huh," Snow looked over at Rumpelstiltskin. He was quiet and grim. A jolt of fear hit her…if he wanted to reclaim dominance over his mind, then what sort of things would he be doing to strengthen his own position in his mind?

Snow was really glad they didn't have magic.

"Looks like you'll be spending more time with your husband then, dearie."

Jefferson grinned, "You have a husband?" 

"Yes," Snow said.

He looked over at Rumpelstiltskin, "Interesting…"

"We should get back," Rumpelstiltskin told Snow, before Regina or her cohorts notice we went up here."

Snow nodded and stood.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Jefferson's face but he didn't argue with them. He got up and followed them to the door.

Snow felt guilty that they had to leave so soon, if he was truly alone for 28 years then maybe she should find a way to get him some company; however brief it might be.

She turned and looked at him, "In two weeks the kids have a career day."

"I don't have a job," he said.

"Then make it up as you go, Grace is in my class," Snow said and looked into his eyes, "You could see her." 

Jefferson gave her a tender smile that almost looked carefree and he took her hand, "Thank you, your majesty."

He pressed his lips against the back of her hand and gave her another smile.

Rumpelstiltskin pulled Snow away, "Do you realize what you've done?"

"Helped a man?"

"You've just created a loyal puppy if you plan to follow through on that promise. He'll never let anything bad happen to you."

"Well, people in our position can't afford not to have too many bodyguards, I guess," Snow said and climbed through the car door that he opened for her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

Jefferson's instructions never left Rumpelstiltskin's mind the rest of that day.

He didn't have magic. He didn't have anything really. The only thing he really had were some knick knacks at the pawn shop, his spinning wheel, and Snow White. How did he strengthen his personality with just those things?

He needed to start manipulating people fast. He didn't want Mr. Gold yammering in his head about the life they used to have. The life that never existed.

Manipulating was something that Rumpelstiltskin did. Mr. Gold just conducted his affairs and wanted to be left alone with his wife.

So, who did he start dealing with in a way that didn't get him caught by Regina? Maybe he'd acted prematurely in his insistence at reminding her who had the power in this town. Now she'd have an eye on him.

He stayed up late in the shop. HE wanted to break away from Mr. Gold's schedule. He called Snow and told her he'd be home late and she was fine with it. She told him they were going to have the house alone tonight, Emma went to the next town to pick up her stuff and she was spending the night there.

He didn't mind the savior there with them, it was better that way. He could keep an eye on her and it made Snow happy. However, Emma was both inquisitive and sassy. He had to keep his basement locked to keep her from wondering down there if she got bored and finding his 'Rumpelstiltskin things'

He limped down the street. He noticed the car in the alleyway but thought nothing of it. Ruby liked driving next to his shop for some 'make out' time with the boys. It was next to his shop and no one bothered her there.

There was the sound of breaking glass. He froze and looked over his shoulder to see a very…heavily pregnant woman getting into the shop.

Was that Ella?

Oh gods, that idiot was bothering him tonight? He had a headache!

He followed her into the shop. She had found his safe, now how on earth did she know where that was?

"Ashley," he said and she turned, started. He smirked, Regina had NOT been kind to her fate, she was the maid at the inn now, wasn't she? What are you doing?" 

He circled her, he wasn't sure what he was going to do but the sheriff would need to be called. Let her and her own see what it was like to be inside a cage. At least that way he could make sure she stayed still.

Ella…Ashley…or whatever her name was here tried to look intimidating; bless her heart, "Changing my life!"

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a confused look. So by changing her life, she meant getting sent to jail? "

She lifted up a container and pressed the button. Something flew out and his eyes felt like they were on fire. He screamed in pain and backed away. He lost his cane somewhere in the confrontation. He drew his hands up to his eyes and hit the back display case. Then his bad ankle rolled. He lost his balance and fell forward. He slammed his temple against the chessboard and rolled on his back. He was dazed at first, he felt her pull up his coat and grab the keys from his belt.

No! He kept Mr. Gold's contracts there!

He didn't hear much else…because he slipped into unconsciousness.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Snow missed Emma.

She missed having a woman here that she could actually talk to. It felt like more of a friendship than a mother/daughter relationship. Snow would take what she could get though. At least Emma was opening up to her.

Sometimes Emma would even reveal bits and pieces of her past. And while it was NEVER good things, they made Emma who they were. One day, Snow wanted to hear everything.

It was too quiet without Emma and Snow watched the fire after dinner and thought about her husband.

Not the John Doe here…who was scheduled to go home with Kathryn soon…but the man she married and loved. Mary fought at first but she settled down when she realized she wasn't going to win. Snow was determined to remember him and everything about him until every single hair on his head was accounted for in her memories.

The door to the front opened, "Snow?"

Snow felt alarm at the weak way Rumpelstiltskin called her name. She stood and raced over to the door. He was leaned on his cane. His head was bleeding and bruise was starting to form, "What happened?"

She reached out to touch the bruise and he pulled away, "That little guttersnipe that I gave everything to attacked me?" 

"Ella?" Snow asked and helped him inside, "You got beat up by a pregnant woman?"

"I got attacked in the dark by a woman carrying mace, and I'm crippled," he snapped.

Snow ran to the bathroom and grabbed supplies, "Are you nauseous?"

"I don't have a concussion!" he snapped, "I checked."

"I can't believe Ella would do this," Snow said, "She was always so meek."

"Yes, it's hard to believe that the girl who had your husband and her husband fight her battle might spring out of nowhere and attack me," he muttered sarcastically.

"What was she after?"

"The contract for the child, I imagine," he winced when she started wiping the blood away.

"The Deal still carries through?"

"Well, she has a debt to me, now doesn't she? Stealing the contract won't do a bit of good, that child is mine."

"Not legally."

"So call a lawyer," he said bitterly, "Oh wait, I'm the only one in town besides your good friend King George. I'm sure he'll be MORE than willing to help Ashley out."

Snow rolled her eyes at his anger, he didn't scare her, "Maybe if you hadn't made a bid for a child, this wouldn't have happened." 

"Maybe if you're stupid little friend had taken the time to read the contract, then she would've known what was expected of her."

Snow stopped, "She said you tricked her into signing that contract."

"She signed it of her own free will after she said she'd do anything to get out of servitude. And when you agree to give 'anything', 'anything' will be required of you."

Snow hesitated, "What are you going to do?"

"Relax Snow White, I won't call the sheriff, this is an opportunity for your daughter."

Snow bristled at the idea of him involving Emma, "No it's not, don't you dare involve her in this!"

"Would you rather I take the child then?" he said angrily, "Perhaps you can mother a child after all."

Snow hit him hard in the arm, "You're just trying to make sure your personality is the dominant one!"

"In a way to where I don't get caught, yes. Don't worry dear. I don't really want the child. I never wanted the child; I just designed things in such a way that I would be imprisoned. I would appear weak and helpless and all of you would come scampering to me with your questions. All I wanted in return was Emma's name so that I would wake up as soon as I met her and put her on the road to breaking the curse. Now, you sit back and let me do that…and you don't have to worry about a child being raised by us. A deal IS a deal after all."

"And what will be required of Emma?"

"She'll owe me a favor."

"What favor?" 

He smiled, "Not telling."

He wasn't using her daughter the way he used her! "Then I'll tell Emma what you plan to do."

"Dearie, I'm not looking to hurt her! She has far more value to me than just her breaking the curse."

Snow didn't like the sound of that, "What value is that?"

"Trust me, dearie. Maybe I'll tell you in time."

"I DON'T trust you though. Not when you won't tell me everything."

"Maybe that's smarter," he shrugged, "But still…this is best for that baby. Two people barely making ends meet that are both idiots are probably far better parents than what I would be."

There was something in that sentence…something that was deeper than what it should be taken at face value.

Snow wanted to ask what but Rumpelstiltskin pulled away and stood, "Please don't interfere, Snow. You'll get your answers, but please let me get my chess board lined up first."

He didn't give Snow the chance to argue, he moved away from her, "I'm taking a shower."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Emma was back early that morning, Snow had to step over boxes to get to the kitchen to make breakfast, and when she was done, Emma was already unpacking, "Thanks."

Snow looked over the few boxes. There wasn't much here, but this was her child's life, "Is that all your stuff?"

Emma was hesitant, "What do you mean?"

It meant that even when Snow and Rumpelstiltskin went their separate ways, Snow's belongings were about half the house. That stuff was her's and she had barely been alive two weeks. How did Emma have such few things? Is the rest in storage?"

"No, this is all of it," Emma pulled out a box and looked at it, "I'm not…sentimental."

Snow heard the sadness in Emma's voice and wanted to know more, but that would be prying…so she just thought of something quick to say, "Well…it must make things easier when you move."

Snow heard the creak of the stairs and looked over her shoulder. In the time that Emma had lived with them, she hadn't interacted with Rumpelstiltskin that much. Snow made sure to keep them separate and Emma came and went as she pleased. She took dinner in her room but made sure to return and wash the dishes when she was done. However, most of her time was spent with Henry, where it should be.

"Is Miss Swan here, yet?" Rumpelstiltskin said, but Snow knew that he knew she was, "I must speak with her."

"Yeah," Snow leaned on the bannister of the staircase, "She's here."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at Emma as she came into the room. They'd interacted, but just barely. He'd always managed to keep it civil, "Hello Miss Swan, I trust you had a safe journey?"

"Can't complain," Emma said hesitantly.

"Good, good," he kept his gaze on her, "I have a proposition for you, Miss Swan. I, uh….I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

"Really?" Um…"

She turned to Snow, and Snow realized that Rumpelstiltskin was giving her a look that told her she needed to leave, "You know what? I'm late for my errands."

She moved past Rumpelstiltskin and exited the door.

She told herself that his was better. They didn't need a baby in the house right now, it was too dangerous.

Emma would be safe, she could take care of herself and Rumpelstiltskin had promised Snow that Emma wouldn't get hurt in this favor she owed him.

Rumpelstiltskin always kept his word.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 

Rumpelstiltskin had done his own research on Emma, he had known enough about her to know how to play this.

Ashley was a pregnant woman about to go to jail; Emma was a pregnant woman about to go to jail. Emma had walls but she wasn't cold. She had compassion, and she would connect with this young woman, "I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine."

He didn't tell her what. If she knew it was the baby, she would shut down and refuse to help. She'd probably drive Ashley out of town if that's what it took.

He thought the woman was stupid, but she didn't deserve to cross the border for falling easily into his plans.

Emma looked at the photo, something like recognition dawned on her. Well, that made sense, he supposed. Emma had been in the inn for a very short time, "So, why don't you just go to the police?"

"Because uh…," Oh, now to play this…, "She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned." 

He didn't like referring to a child as his property but that was hardly his fault. Ella turned her daughter into property the minute she signed her away

"What is it?" Emma asked.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't falter; of course she would be curious, "Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that." 

"When did you see her last?" Emma asked. 

"Last night," he said and pulled back his hair. He'd been sure to hide it just for shock value, "That's how I got this."

Emma was quiet; she raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Rumpelstiltskin had had a feeling that Emma had inspired this…Ashley wouldn't do it any other way, "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice IS the police and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?" 

He thought he'd shown his hand a little too much, but Emma didn't realize that he knew. She looked disturbed and crossed her arms, "No, of course not." 

"So, you'll help me, then?" 

"I will help, _her,_" Emma offered.

"Grand," he nodded. He could work with that.

The front door opened without anyone knocking. Henry came in, "Hey Emma, I was thinking we-."

Henry hesitated when he saw Rumpelstiltskin standing there. Usually he didn't step foot in this house, Emma went to go find him. He did wonder what Regina would do if she knew Henry was here with her three greatest enemies.

"Hey Henry," he greeted with a large smile. He liked Henry, Henry reminded him of Baelfire, "How are you?"

Henry looked like a deer caught in headlights, "O…kay."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Good."

He gave the boy another warm smile and started to leave, "Give my regards to your mother…and um…good luck, Miss Swan."

He closed the door behind him. Let the boy have time with Emma, they never knew when they'd be alone.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It hadn't taken a day before Rumpelstiltskin's spy at the hospital told him that they brought Ashley in. The first thing he did was jump in the Caddy and head to the hospital.

He didn't know where Snow was, he hadn't seen her all day. That was better; he didn't want to have to manipulate Emma in front of her mother. As heartless as he could be, he did respect Snow enough that he didn't want to hurt her."

He didn't have to look very hard for Emma; they were in the waiting room. He overheard the doctor tell them that the baby had been born.

He limped towards them, "What lovely news."

Emma paled when she saw him.

"Excellent work, Miss Swan," he said, he knew that she was aware that the baby was the property now; she had to know, "Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

He left Emma there and went to the coffee machine. They would need to clean the baby up and he supposed he could let Ella hold her once, just in case he did have to follow through on the contract.

The machine dispersed a cup but nothing else. Rumpelstiltskin slammed the side of his hand into the machine and the disgusting brown liquid came out. He didn't have a taste for it, but his Mr. Gold did.

Emma stormed up to him. Good, she was going to fight, "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan? "

He never got to buy his step-daughter nice things after all.

He probably also shouldn't say something like that in Charming's presence when he remembered.

"A baby?" Emma held his gaze, "That's the merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?" 

He was honest, "Well, because at the time, you didn't need to know." 

"Really?" Emma sneered, "Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"

Eh, maybe both.

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought would make sense. Do you? I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assume it would be you."

Emma's eyes darkened at that. Good, she wanted a fight. He hadn't had one of those in well…28 years, "You're NOT getting that kid."

"Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity," he saw her reluctance and went straight in for the kill, "You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?"

He saw something akin to fear in her eyes, but she quickly stood straighter, "It's not going to happen."

"I like your confidence. Charming," he tried to hint at her with her father's name but it went right over her head, so he just played the game, "But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess- to steal a contract?"

He shrugged mockingly, "Who knows what she was after?"

"You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you?"

Oh, she was a sassy one. She had her mother's spunk and her father's temper; he really liked that in a lady.

But of course, the courts looked down on a mother who made a contract like that in the first place and then changed her mind and attacked a middle aged cripple.

Then again, getting Emma and getting rid of the contract was why he was here.

"Not to mention," Emma continued, "What might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight? "

He made sure to draw out his hesitation. She really thought she was outsmarting him, did she?

He smiled, "I _like _you, Miss Swan." 

Emma smirked.

"You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side."

"So she can keep the baby?" Emma asked.

"Not just yet," he limped around. This old mortal body was too calm…to…still. He missed being able to move about like he did as Rumpelstiltskin; the Dark One, "There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up," Emma offered.

He chuckled, "That's not what I do. You see, contracts- _deals-._" 

Another subtle hint…another statement that Emma was oblivious to.

"Well, they're the foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

Emma was hesitant, "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet."

"I won't do anything that'll ruin my friendship with Mary Margaret."

He cringed, "As exhilarating as I find out little battle of wits, you're much too young for me and I don't much care for blondes. Besides, I wouldn't do anything to ruin my relationship with my wife either. So how about…you'll owe me a favor."

It wasn't a good deal on Emma's part. She knew that. He saw it in her eyes but she still held his gaze. She stepped forward and extended her hand, "Deal."

He shook her hand, "Grand."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

"You're going to have to talk to me eventually."

Snow played the part of the wife. Her feet were in Rumpelstiltskin's lap but she wouldn't look at him.

"You manipulated my daughter."

"You could've told her," he shrugged, "You didn't. This is best for everyone."

"How is it best for Emma?"

"She breaks the curse faster if it continues to weaken and she gets the parents she desires so much."

"How is this best for you?"

He hesitated. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her about Belle and Baelfire but he didn't know why. She wasn't a friend…she didn't even really seem to like him all that much. The only way that he could figure was that it was the Mr. Gold side of him that wanted to tell his wife everything.

He had done something that Rumpelstiltskin would do and he still felt Mr. Gold tugging on his consciousness.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't answer her question, he just stared at the fire, "Your husband…and Ella's husband imprisoned me because I wanted to take a baby that Ella willingly signed on to me."

Snow looked back at the fire.

"You stripped me of my powers, threw me in a dungeon, and fed me rotted meat. I had no chamber pot and no bed. Yet when Regina, who had tried to kill you multiple times, was captured, you stopped the execution and let her go back to her magical castle with her men. Some of which were employed willingly, plenty of those that were not. She slaughtered villages full of people that protected you and you let her live with just a slap on the hand. Why was her punishment less than mine? It hurt my feelings, dearie."

"Because I didn't know they'd captured you until it was too late," she said simply, "I was pregnant…and Charming didn't want to tell me because it would create more stress. I hadn't had a night's sleep since Regina made her threats at my wedding."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything. The less she knew about his part in that, the better their home life would be.

"If I'd known-." 

"You'd have stopped it?" he challenged.

"Maybe," Snow admitted.

"Perhaps he didn't want to tell you what he'd done because he didn't want to worry you, maybe he was scared that you'd stop it," he pointed a finger to her, "I helped you two get together and that's how he thanks me?" 

"You did it for your own agenda."

"Yes," he admitted, "But I did a whole lot of good for you in getting that agenda done. That Neanderthal husband of yours owes me an apology because the guards that he was so careful to employ were horrible. You'll never know the misery they inflicted."

Snow didn't look away, "Is that one of the things you'll tell me?" 

"No," he leaned back, "Some things, a lady shouldn't know."

They both heard the door open. They looked back to see Emma come in.

"Emma," Snow greeted with a smile, "How was your day?" 

Emma shut the door, "Fine."

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "Ashley get situated?"

Emma glared at him and walked up the stairs to her room.

"That wasn't nice," Snow scolded.

"What? All stepdaughters go through a rebellious phase."


	6. That Still Small Voice

The night the mines opened, Snow was already in bed. She'd been fighting a small stomach virus that one of the children had given to her. For 28 years, she was practically immune but now that her body had changed (Nothing smelled or tasted the same), she was susceptible to illnesses that were minor in this world.

When Snow had first started throwing up in the morning, she'd had a horrific fear that she might be pregnant. But Rumpelstiltskin, who took care of her, promised her over and over again that that was impossible. Their bodies had been frozen at the time…they never changed except for…when bodily adjustments were needed in getting the deed done.

Of course Regina would want that function in the men working, if she was using Graham like a slave again.

Of course she'd want it working for them if it was her sick game that they were happily married to each other despite not being in love.

He promised her that she couldn't conceive his child.

_If something happened now," _he'd told her, _Then a pregnancy might occur, which is why it's best for both you and I that we stay in control at all times. _

It was a task easier said than done, Mary was itching to get at him again. Snow didn't tell Rumpelstiltskin, some things were best left quiet.

Rumpelstiltskin came into her room late that night. Since she'd gotten sick, he'd taken to sleeping in there with her. He slept on the couch; it was the most comfortable one in the house.

He already wore his silk pajamas; his clothes for the next day were in his hand. He leaned on his cane and watched her for a few seconds, "Snow? Are you awake?"

"Yeah," she turned over to face him, "I thought I felt a tremor…was that real or did I imagine that?" 

"You did not. There's now a crater at the old mines."

Snow sat up, "What?"

"Your daughter was there, I was told….she's taken a position as a deputy tonight, did you know that?"

Snow did. Emma told her everything. Snow had been proud that she was laying down roots for her son. Apparently her old job had been a lot more glamorous before she left it and the fact that she was taking a lesser paying job for Henry meant so much to Snow.

Her daughter had walls, but this world hadn't completely destroyed her. She still knew love, she still had compassion…

"What does this mean?" Snow asked.

"The curse is weakening," he told her, "It's because Emma's making decisions that'll get her to permanently stay."

"So the whole town might be collapsing?" Snow asked, "What happens if she wants Henry back and gets him? We all fall down a sinkhole?"

He smiled at her sarcastic joke and went to the couch, "Perhaps there's something down there." 

"Then we should go find it, right? Get it out….maybe Emma will believe then!"

"With that thick head? I doubt it," he muttered.

Snow scowled at him.

"Besides, neither you nor I should be down there," Rumpelstiltskin stretched his bad leg out, "There's someone in the crowd that's missing…someone that Regina would've brought over just as sure as you or I."

"Who?"

"Did your husband ever tell you about the dragon he fought to get my assistance on finding you?" 

Snow nodded, "Yeah, he said that she-."

Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow.

Snow's eyes widened, "No!"

"She did."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"It is."

"How could she be a dragon if there's no magic?"

"Well, you don't need magic to be a dragon, dearie. Just look at your stepdaughter! Maleficent is just more…literal in her form. She just has no magic, she can't change back. So…there she is." 

"There's a dragon under Storybrooke." 

"Indeed." 

"And there's a crater at the mines?"

"It's opened up tunnels."

Snow felt a chill, "What would that mean for us, then?"

He lay down on the couch, "Bad things should she ever wake up enough to get out."

Snow didn't sleep well that night.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Everywhere Snow looked, she was surrounded by things that Mary Margaret liked. She couldn't eat her favorite foods because they didn't exist here, she could seek out her friends as they were…or her daughter because they thought they were friends of Mary Margaret's and even her job was Mary Margaret's. To keep dominance of her mind was an uphill battle every day.

So, she spent more and more time at the hospital with her husband. He was a blank slate and he didn't remember so she didn't have to completely lie to him. That was a relief as everything else about her existence right now, she had to lie about. She was afraid that when everyone woke up, she wouldn't know who she was anymore.

Emma was already going to hate her for spending all this time just blatantly lying to her face.

It had to be done though. Rumpelstiltskin even encouraged the hospital visits; he was usually doing whatever it was that he did in the basement. He'd asked politely that Snow and Emma stay out, that was his…sanctuary or whatever it was. Emma respected it; she had no reason not to. However, Snow was a bit more worried. If he wanted to be Rumpelstiltskin and not Mr. Gold, what did that meant for everyone?

She tried not to think about it as she stared at the game of Hangman in concentration…David was awake and growing stronger. Keeping him entertained was a full time job, "I don't know…. 'M'?"

"Mmhmm," David moved and placed them on the paper, "Two of them. Get it yet?"

Mary laughed when she saw the only word that the first word could be and put her hands over her face in embarrassment, "Yes. And I'm completely mortified. I almost hanged myself on my own name."

David grinned, "Don't worry – I would never let you hang! I would've added toes, a hat, maybe a horse…."

A horse…Snow felt a pang of homesickness and she cleared her throat, "Is this a game you played a lot? Uh, before?"

David shrugged, "I don't know."

"It'll come back," Snow said hopefully, but she wasn't talking about his _false _memories, "They're sending you home in a week. They have to think you're progressing, don't they? '

"Physically," David muttered.

Yeah, he was going home to a woman that wasn't his wife and Snow couldn't even warn him about what he was doing.

He was going to be with _her_…in every sense of the term and Snow couldn't stop it. Would Charming hate her for that? Would he forgive her for having to stand by and let him go home with this poor woman to play house?

He could hold that against her, but he couldn't hold Rumpelstiltskin against her. If Emma wasn't in the room, they never even touched. And when they did, it was all based on strategy.

"Well," Snow said, her time here with him was running out and when he went home, then what did she do? Take a bow and arrow and go to the forest? "You're making new memories just fine."

David gave her a flirtatious grin, "Maybe I'll like these better."

Snow felt her heat pounding in her chest, she was certain he could hear it. That smile he gave her was almost the one that Charming gave.

_Try and remember. _

Snow looked down and cleared her throat, "Okay, play again?"

"Can I guess, too?"

At the sound of Kathryn Nolan's voice, Snow felt herself freeze. What was she doing here? Snow thought she had to work! Then she looked at her watch and realized she'd lost track of the time, "Oh Mrs. Nolan. I, uh….Oh, its noon already. I didn't realize! I should go."

Kathryn smiled at her. She didn't have suspicions about Snow's time with David. She was too appreciative that Snow had saved him; she thought that's why there was an attachment.

Snow went to sign out and gave one last look over her shoulder.

"Honey," Kathryn reached into the box and pulled out a photo of a dog, "I brought more pictures. Maybe it'll jog something. It's our old dog – Ajax. Remember?"

"Yeah," David said slowly, but it was clear he didn't remember, "Yeah, Ajax…"

Snow lowered her head; the curse had done a fine job with making sure everything was authentic enough to be possible. Even in the house there were photos all over the place of Mr. Gold and Mary Margaret that they'd never had taken. Snow was sure of it because her hiar fell slightly past her shoulders instead of the harsh cut it was at now. It was all part of the curse. There was even a marriage certificate in the file cabinet in the study. Rumpelstiltskin had found it and shown it to her.

Everything was a lie and she was playing along with it to survive.

If only her loved ones could see her now….

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

Snow knew that Emma had a lot to deal with, being a new deputy. She had fears to address for people over the crater as well as her regular duties.

Though, those seemed to be few because she was sitting at home when Snow returned. Snow was glad for it, her…irritation over David going home to his wife and not her was something she was far more comfortable talking about to Emma.

"I'm the worse person in the world," Snow muttered after telling her what had happened.

"Really?" Emma raised her eyebrow, "The whole world?" 

Their world at least. Regina was a monster, that was true. So was Rumpelstiltskin. They'd captured Rumpelstiltskin but she'd spared Regina because Snow's own guilt. It was because of Snow's own choices that her family was now ripped from her. It was because of her that no one was happy…everyone was split up from their families and had no free will. It was her fault.

But, once again, she couldn't tell Emma.

"If Kathryn was horrible, it'd be easier," Snow said. It wasn't a complete lie. She wasn't completely covering for herself. Kathryn was always pleasant and respectful. Snow couldn't be jealous without hating herself, "But she's so…nice." 

"And what exactly would be easier?" Emma asked.

For him to remember and come back to her.

But once again, everything was a lie and she couldn't be fully honest with her own daughter, "Nothing."

"'Nothing' is a good idea. You're smart – you know not to get involved with a married guy. You're married yourself. It's not worth the heartache – Trust me."

There was something there. Like Emma was speaking from personal experience. Snow started to ask her what that meant when they heard a knock at the door.

Always interruptions!

"I'll get it," Emma went to the back door and opened it.

Henry was standing there…his eyes were red and puffy and he was breathing hard.

"Kid?" Emma immediately took a protective edge in her voice, "What happened? Come on."

He went inside and hugged Emma. Emma returned the hug and gave a concerned look to Snow.

Snow shut the backdoor and they took Henry to the living room.

"My mom got to Jiminy."

Emma raised her eyebrows, "What happened?"

Henry wiped his eyes, "He said…he said I was delusional and how it all wasn't real. He said that what I had a psychosis and they were going to lock me away. He said I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't."

The more Henry talked, the angrier Emma visibly got, "Well, that's certainly different to how he was acting last night."

"That's why I think she got to him! She's manipulating him! She threatened to hurt him, she had to have! He's my friend…he would- he would never do this by himself."

Emma gave another look at Snow, "Kid…there's some ice cream on the counter, why don't you have some before we go?"

"You're not taking me back!" Henry demanded.

"I have to take you back to your mom's, but don't worry…the therapist's office is exactly where I plan to go to next. We'll get this figured out."

He reluctantly went to the kitchen. Snow grabbed Emma's shoulder, "Emma, don't do anything in haste. You'll regret it."

"I won't regret this," Emma hissed, "She's using other people to hurt him, that's how she used me when I decided to stay initially. I'm not going to let that happen to him again."

Snow nodded, "And I'm not saying you don't have a right to be angry. I'm angry. But if you do something without thinking, then Regina could use that."

"Don't worry; I'm not going to do something that lands me in jail here," Emma hesitated, "Again."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

"He said what?"

Snow watched Rumpelstiltskin circle around the table he kept in the back of the pawn shop, "That's what Henry claims he said."

"To a child?" 

Snow nodded, "He thinks it was Regina. I'm inclined to agree."

"Gods, that's her son," he took a drink of whatever alcoholic beverage was in his hand, "Crushing who he is to fit her own mold…I would've never-." 

He stopped and looked at Snow.

"Never mind," he said and placed the drink down, "Emma is fixing this?" 

"Emma can't fix what's already been said," Snow muttered, "But she's confronting him, yes."

"What do you think that will lead to?"

"I wish I knew," Snow whispered, "Regina thinks she can….break someone if that means making them into what she wants."

"As unfortunate as it is to those being broken, that's usually the best method of getting results," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"Is that what you did?"

"Countless times," Rumpelstiltskin put the drink down, "But never to those I claimed to love."

That didn't make Snow feel better.

The phone rang; Rumpelstiltskin went to the front of the shop to answer it. Snow waited for him and played with Charming's mother's ring. She wanted to think of something to do to make everything right, but she couldn't.

When Rumpelstiltskin walked back through, his face was set….there was something grim about it, "Snow, there's been an incident."

Snow straightened, "Emma?"

"Emma's fine," He promised her, "It's Henry. He went into the mines. Archie followed. The entrance collapsed and they're trapped." 

"Oh gods," Snow whispered.

They weren't alone in those mines…

Snow grabbed her purse and started for the door.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going there; Emma has to know that Maleficent is down there with them! They have to get them out!"

"Regina's there too!" he told her harshly, "Are you truly going to blow your cover by telling Emma something that she won't believe?"

"There's a dragon down there with them."

"The tunnels that lead that far out are small," he told her, "I examined them myself this morning. If they stay close, there's no way Maleficent can reach them."

"What if they go further down, then?"

"You will do no good there," Rumpelstiltskin told her, Snow realized he didn't answer her question, "It'll be best if you stay away, you will just give yourself away if Regina sees you this upset."

"She wouldn't suspect anything, that boy is in my class."

"Well, you're not exactly in Mary Margaret's mindset right now, are you? You're in Snow's," he reminded her, "One wrong look…to either her or Emma when you're upset and she'll know it's you." 

"Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit here waiting?"

Rumpelstiltskin thought about it, "Go to the hospital. Everyone will be at the mine…this is your chance to work on your husband without prying eyes. You'll need this distraction, it could benefit you."

Snow clenched her hand. She wanted to argue, she wanted to fight, she wanted to go down to the mines to support her daughter.

But all she could do was wait …

At least with David…she could do _something._.

"Are your spies at the mines?"

"Of course," he nodded, "I'll let you know if anything's happened."

Snow reluctantly nodded.

She wanted to go to the mine, but strategically it would be unwise.

She choked back her anger and went to the hospital instead. After all, she didn't have much time left to spend with David before he had to go home

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Snow could barely concentrate as she worked with people in the hospital, but no one noticed. There weren't that many people here anyway, now that time was moving again, they were healing.

And the small slip ups, she could easily attribute to her worry about Henry down in the mines. No one questioned it; everyone was worried about the mayor's son and his therapist in the mine.

She took care of most everyone, but David was in physical therapy and she didn't see him. She was starting to think that maybe this visit had been all for naught and she prepared to pack up her things and head to the mine.

"Hey!" she heard her husband's familiar voice behind her, "Where are you going?"

"Home," Snow lied, "I'm done for the day. Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Ah, actually, Dr. Whale wants me to start physical therapy. I'm supposed to walk thirty minutes a day on a treadmill or outside with an escort. But they were kind of short on personnel because of that thing that happened at the mine." 

Snow missed the side of him that would pick up a sword and go down there if it meant saving a child, "Oh…."

"So," David smiled mischievously, "Maybe if there was a volunteer willing to help?"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

There was a quiet place by the water that Snow liked. It wasn't far and so they walked there. It was slow going; David's last outdoor journey had nearly been too much for him so Snow had to be patient.

"I'm trying to remember this place," he broke through the silence, It's like…it's like I woke up in a strange land."

"Is there anything coming back?" Snow asked hopefully and then covered, "What about when you're with her? You remembered your dog." 

"Yeah, I lied," he said.

As if she didn't already know, "You did?" 

"She's so…loving and I didn't want to disappoint her. But none of it feels right. You know, a dog name Ajax? Who would name their dog that? None of it makes sense. None of it….None of it feels real."

"That sounds lonely," Snow whispered. It was lonely. It was lonely knowing what she knew and seeing all her friends not recognize her…seeing all these people not recognize anyone.

"Actually, one thing does feel real," he moved to stand in front of her, "You."

Snow felt her heart leap, "What?"

"I know it's crazy," He said quickly, but it wasn't, "But I swear, you're the only thing in this whole place that feels…that feels right." 

Snow almost threw her arms around his neck right there, but she didn't. Was he fascinated with her because she was her? Or was he fascinated with her because he felt that connection? Did it even count as love if he didn't fully understand why there was a connection in the first place?

"Kathryn….," Charming started.

And Snow was brought right back in reality, "Right…"

"Kathryn!" David greeted behind her, "You're here!"

Kathryn was behind them, with a large smile on her face. There was a basket in her hands, "I know it's outside of visiting hours, but, uh, I needed to see you. I made some cranberry muffins. They used to be your favorite."

She held them out to David.

Snow had sort of hoped that after Emma took the job as deputy that maybe the curse had weakened enough so that they wouldn't be interrupted…that progress could be made but Snow supposed the curse wasn't ready to allow them to be together yet.

Time could move, dragons could come awake but she couldn't have a conversation with her husband.

"I should," Snow nodded and turned to leave, "Leave you two."

"Wait, Mary Margaret!" David called after her, "See you tomorrow?"

He wouldn't though…he'd be going home in a week…so why should she even remain? There was no reason to stay with the hospital after he was gone; Regina only had her do so, so that she could stare at him every day and wonder why there was a connection.

She would wait until everyone was gone tonight and then she would resign her position. There was nothing there for her after David was gone.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Snow was back in the pawn shop after she was done at the hospital, it was closer than the mines and she needed a drink.

Snow usually didn't like alcohol, it tasted weird. Even Mary Margaret never cared too much for it, but she didn't need it for the taste right now.

"He feels drawn to me," Snow told Rumpelstiltskin, "That has to be something, right?"

"Feelings are only feelings until they're acted upon," Rumpelstiltskin told her, "He can feel everything in the world for you, but it will mean nothing until he makes the move to take up and leave."

"And if that happens," Snow started.

"Regina won't like it," he told her, "She'll do what she can to stop it. If Kathryn's false memories couldn't, then she'll rely on more drastic measures. Something could happen."

"I can protect David."

"You can only do so much in this land with these laws," he reminded her, "Making such a drastic move if he wants to be with you could be unwise at this stage. And I can't sit by and watch it happen, I promised you that no matter what happened, I would protect you."

"So you want me to stay away from him?"

"I want you…to be careful," he told her after a moment's hesitation, "I know I am hardly the ideal man you want to share a room with…and I know you are extremely lonely and want any semblance you have of your life back….but caution is the key here. Always remember that."

Snow was quiet, "I don't know how much more I can take before risking losing control to Mary. I have to do something." 

"I know," he said quietly and took her hand "But…Snow…don't be stupid about it."

The phone rang in the front; Rumpelstiltskin moved to the front and answered it. Snow took a second to shiver; there had been a small pang in her stomach of longing. That'd been Mary's not her's. Every time Snow was pushed aside for Kathryn…every time Kathryn came into the room, it felt like Mary got a foothold.

When Rumpelstiltskin came back, he was smiling, "Wonderful news, Snow. They saved them. Emma went down and rescued them from an elevator shaft."

Snow's eyes widened and she smiled, "They're okay?"

He nodded, "Indeed."

"I should go…go see them."

"Snow?"

She stopped.

"Just remember what I've said about caution."


	7. The Shepherd

Later that week, David came home to a 'Welcome Home' party.

Snow's Mary Margaret had been asked to go. She'd been pressured to go. Dr. Whale was trying to get glory for claiming that he saved David and David had awakened on his watch. But it was a small town; everyone knew that it was Snow and Graham that had saved him. Snow didn't brag about it, she kept quiet, but people wanted to hear her side of things. Snow knew that'd be waiting for her if she attended the party.

She also knew that seeing her husband with another woman would be waiting for her if she went.

Rumpelstiltskin's warning of caution played in her head. Regina was supposed to be there too. Snow stayed home.

Emma went in her place though; Henry was supposed to be there. Emma had tried to play it off by muttering about free party food but she saw the growing want in Emma's eyes. She wanted to be near her son.

And if Emma could tell her anything about David, then Snow would be happy about that as well.

The time of the party came, and Snow tried to keep herself busy. She tried cleaning the house and organizing the things that weren't in the pawn shop that cluttered up the living room and back room. When that trying task was done (Rumpelstiltskin: I _knew _where everything was.), she took the birdfeeder and went outside, determined to finally get it up in the tree. Birds were sort of a Mary Margaret thing…but they were hers as well. It would be comforting to see them in the yard again.

Anything linking her back to her old life.

"Did you not get an invite?"

Snow tensed at the sound of David's voice. He snuck out of his own party? Snow couldn't imagine how well that'd go over if Regina noticed his absence and realized where he'd gone, "David."

But it was still so good to see his face when she could….heart wrenching…but good.

"So, I heard you resigned from the hospital," he climbed up to hang the bird feeder for her, "Was it me? Cause of what I told you? About how I felt about you?"

Snow averted her gaze. Be cautious…Regina wouldn't let this stand…

"Oh come on," he climbed down, "Don't tell me it's one sided.'

"We're married," she choked out. Whether she meant they were married to each other or other people, she didn't know. Maybe both in her own weird way. "It should be no side."

"'Should be' doesn't matter. Whoever married Kathryn wasn't me, it's not me. I didn't choose her. I'm choosing you. I know you feel it – I can tell."

"I'm married."

"And I know that the marriage isn't happy. Everyone's noticed it. They say you two are having problems…you two are a lot more distant now. Maybe the woman who married him is different too."

Snow felt her heart race in her chest. Did Regina know if 'everyone' knew?

"I-I know you think we have this connection," she started. Be cautious, be cautious, "But maybe it's because I happen to be the person who saved your life? So, why don't we leave it at that?"

She turned and went inside her house.

"Problems in paradise?" Rumpelstiltskin asked when she got inside.

"You saw that?"

"We have a lot of windows dearie," he told her and stretched out his bad leg.

"He wants…I don't know."

"He wants you to have an affair," his eyes held a jealous glint.

Snow shook her head, "I don't think so. I think he wants us to leave our current spouses."

"You know why that might be a bad idea, right now."

She nodded, "I know."

"Listen to me, Snow." He stood and followed her to the kitchen, "I'm supportive of your happily ever after with your husband, but this early in the game, it wouldn't be wise. It'll give her time to plot…to find a new way to hurt you. And with your daughter and husband and grandson around…you wouldn't want them to pay the price."

Snow grabbed the brillo pad and started scrubbing angrily. She wasn't angry at him, she knew he was right. David just made it sound so good to be true, "I'm not sure how much longer I can say 'no' to him."

"Figure out a way," he told her and then looked up when Emma came into the house, "Ah! Evening Sheriff Swan, I'll leave you two to it."

He put a hand her back and left. Snow didn't know if it was for show or because he truly wanted to make the friendly comforting move, but she didn't have time to ask.

"You might want to ease up," Emma said when the sight of her daughter made Snow scrub everything harder, "Or that brillo pad's going to press charges."

"Three people living here, dishes are piling up."

"This have anything to do with David stopping by?" Emma asked. When Snow looked up, started, Emma shrugged, "I" saw him sulking away as I pulled up."

"We just, Uh….he just…"

"Yeah, I know. You're both 'just'. And you did the right thing."

For survival, not morality.

"He made a pretty compelling case."

"Getting involved with another man when your marriage has problems isn't a way to fix things," Emma told her, "And he's still married. I know – I was just at the party."

Snow wanted to grill her for details, but that would seem desperate and Emma might not budge, "What do I do?"

"You need to stop cleaning," Emma told her softly, "And have a drink."

She went to Rumpelstiltskin's liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. The bottle had been opened. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't a drunk, at least he never got inebriated, but a night hardly went by when he wasn't drinking something.

"Here's the thing," Emma said and poured them both a drink, "I don't know a lot about relationships, other than having many that failed. But generally speaking, if you think something you want to do is wrong, it is."

Wanting to be with her own husband shouldn't be wrong.

"So," Emma continued, "You got to stay strong and he has to figure out his life. Cheers."

They clinked glasses together.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow and Rumpelstiltskin went to the diner to have breakfast the next morning.

"Have you ever eaten dragon?" Snow asked.

"Yes," he told her, "But they're rare so I didn't get to eat much. It tasted like chicken…like a very…sweet chicken."

Snow had been asking him all sort of questions about the food he'd had over there He was the most powerful being in the world and he'd hinted to experimenting on some foods. It had made Snow incredibly curious.

She still wanted to eat dragon meat herself. Then she remembered the last dragon they talked about had been Maleficent and so the idea of eating a dragon lost its appeal.

"You know what I miss?" he said quietly, "Chimera."

"Chimera was disgusting," Snow muttered and ate her pancakes.

"Only to the unenlightened," he bit into his eggs.

"It tasted like stale spinach."

"Only to those that didn't know how to cook them," he gestured to her, "When I was at war, we were practically starving for a month…and someone killed a chimera and cooked it in such a way that could never be replicated."

"War?" Snow noted, "You didn't always have magic?"

He hesitated, "No."

"So, you _were_ a man once." 

"Once," he said quietly, "And afterwards….only in the places it counted." 

Snow rolled her eyes at his lewd smirk. If he was looking to mortify her, it wouldn't work. She was a teacher to ten year olds and they weren't always so innocent, "Well then those stories are true, I suppose."

"Why? What do the other stories tell?" 

"Everyone has a theory at what you were…or how you came to be that way. Some say you were born like that and were rejected from society and made a deal with the Dark Gods to wield magic and get revenge on those you think wronged you. Others say that you were a handsome spoiled prince cursed by an enchantress disguised as a woman selling roses. Others say you were born with magic, you were born bad, and your appearance slowly turned through the years to outwardly show the corruption of your soul."

He seemed interested, "What did you believe?" 

Snow shrugged, "I never really thought about it."

He gave a frown and looked incredibly disappointed, "Fine, dear."

Snow looked at the paper folded between them and turned it over. David's picture was on there, it was talking about his return home.

"I'm quite a doctor, huh?"

Snow jumped as Dr. Whale came up behind her, "No way he wakes up on someone else's watch."

"Hello, Dr. Whale," Snow greeted tersely. Was he trying to take credit for it in front of her?

Rumpelstiltskin gave a glare. Snow wondered if he was acting, his Mr. Gold was always jealous of the attention that Whale showed Mary Margaret.

"So, I heard that you resigned from the hospital. I hope it wasn't because of me."

"Why on _earth_ would it be because of you?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded.

"Because of how I…acted when he woke up and never apologized," Whale said slowly. 

"You never apologized to my wife?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded.

"I know it wasn't classy, and I'm sorry."

"I believe that IS your motto."

Dr. Whale looked flustered, this clearly wasn't how he wanted this to go, "Um…I just wanted to apologize. Have a good day."

"Hm," Rumpelstiltskin gave him a condescending smile as he walked out. When he was gone, Rumpelstiltskin grabbed his cane, "I'll see you tonight, dear."

"You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

"Of course not! I'll just follow him around a bit. Remind him why it's not best to try and look down my fake wife's blouse."

"He was _not_."

Rumpelstiltskin just looked at her.

"Maybe not a lot," she admitted.

"I'll be back for dinner," he put his hand on her shoulder and for the benefit of everyone watching, so they didn't think there was anything wrong due to Whale, and they kissed. It wasn't a quick peck, it was a passionate (as much as both could muster) but closed mouthed kiss.

They'd gotten better at practicing.

It still felt weird.

He went out the back. Snow opened the paper and studied her husband's face. He almost looked like he was judging her.

"Mrs. Gold, may I have a word?"

Snow felt every single vital organ freeze when she heard her stepmother's sharp voice. They hadn't talked alone together since she'd awakened and even though she was surrounded by people, she was alone. She gave a nervous swallow "Of course."

Be cautious.

Regina sat down, "I wanted to talk to you about my friend Kathryn. But more specifically, I wanted to talk to you about her husband, David."

Snow tensed and glanced down to her knife. If Regina dared threaten him…."

"You don't belong together," Regina sneered. Snow bristled and felt herself grow angry, "He's not yours. He's taken. If your husband can't please you, find someone else."

David was ALWAYS hers.

"I haven't done anything," she told Regina angrily.

"Really?" Regina mocked, "So, he just up and left his wife on a whim?"

Snow blinked. When had this happened? "He did what?"

Regina tiled her head slightly and narrowed her eyes, "You don't know."

Snow managed a shake of her head. He left Kathryn? Where was he?

"Well, I suspect you soon will," Regina leaned closer, "So listen carefully, _dear_, because it's in your best interest."

Snow heard the threat.

"Stay away," Regina continued, "He's in a fragile state, he doesn't know who he is or what he's doing and you're this close to wrecking multiple lives. So, before you do something that can't be undone, let him remember who he was."

Regina got up to leave and Snow felt her heart sink.

She wouldn't be the one wrecking lives if Snow went to David. Regina would. People would get hurt if she went like this.

Snow stood, grabbed her purse, and headed for the back door.

She had to speak to Rumpelstiltskin.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

"He left his wife?" Rumpelstiltskin asked and put the closed sign up so he could speak to Snow privately.

She nodded, "That's what Regina said."

"Regina could be lying."

"What if she's not?" Snow looked up, "What if he did? What if he left her for me and this is my chance? I mean, Regina can't suspect I might be awake if he makes the first move, right? If I went to him…it'd just look like the curse was weakening to her."

"Who makes the first move or not and you being awake or asleep like the rest of them is irrelevant," he told her, "If she even _thinks _that you're headed to your happy ending, do you know what she could do? She could do anything she wanted." 

"The rules are different here."

"She literally holds the sheriff's heart in her hands."

"Emma would know." 

"Emma doesn't believe, her knowledge is limited." 

Snow cursed and ran a hand through her hair, "Well, what am I supposed to do? Reject him?"

"To keep him alive and healthy? Yes."

Snow had seen an opportunity at her doorstep. She'd nursed the possibilities as she walked here but now that Rumpelstiltskin was shooting them down, she saw it was hopeless. Snow closed her eyes to keep the tears from coming and lowered her head.

Her husband wanted her.

She couldn't be with him.

Rumpelstiltskin looked genuinely apologetic to her, "Snow, I'm sorry."

Snow wiped a stray tear away and cleared her throat, "Don't be. It's not your fault."

He tensed.

But of course it was his fault. Snow knew he had something to do with all this, she just didn't know what or to what extent.

"I should go to work," she whispered, "I'm running late.' 

"Snow-."

"I'll see you at dinner, I'll cook tonight" she told him with a frantic nod, she had to hold herself together, "It's not dragon, but…it'll serve."

00000000000000000000000000000000

She was distracted most of the day, that seemed to be the case lately. Her chest ached with every heartbeat. It was worse now. Now she knew her husband wanted her and she had to say no.

Lunch, she tried to distract herself by going over the bills. She'd stopped at the house to get them. No one was home, thank gods, she didn't want to speak to Rumpelstiltskin right now.

"Careful," she heard her husband's voice when she used a letter opener to open the electric bill, "Looks sharp."

He leaned against the doorway, and the way that he looked at her…almost made her believe that her husband was kicking around in there somewhere.

But if he was here, then people would see. And if he was seen, then Regina would know…

And Snow wasn't sure she could stare into her husband's eyes right now and refuse him, "You can't be here."

"I….needed to see you."

Snow refused to look at him; she started placing workbooks on the desk, "Tell me you didn't leave your wife because of me. I do not want to destroy your marriage."

"You're not!" he argued, "It's me. I don't want to hurt her either, but the most hurtful thing to Kathryn would be me pretending."

The most hurtful thing to Kathryn MIGHT be him leaving. Snow wasn't so foolish as to think that Regina wouldn't hurt her just because they were 'friends'.

"She needs someone to feel about her the way I feel about you."

She finally looked up at him. It was almost him. It was so close, it could be.

She could say 'yes', she could leave with him. She could protect him…if they were together, that was a major blow to the curse, right? Since she was one of Regina's big enemies. Emma might even break it faster.

Snow shook her head, it was too risky, he'd barely survived last time, "I'm really trying hard to stay away from you. To do the right thing.

"Why is that the right thing?" he asked.

"Because you already have a life," she told him. One that he'd be safe in.

The bell rang and children started walking through.

"With someone I didn't choose," he told her, "The man who chose that life, whoever married Kathryn, is gone."

He never existed.

He wanted her. He knew there was a connection.

It was getting harder and harder to say no.

"You really have to leave me alone," she whispered and pushed him towards the door.

"Is that truly what you want?" he demanded.

She didn't answer him, "Go."

He grabbed the door, "Meet me tonight. At least think about it. I'll be at the bridge where you found me at eight. Think about it until then and decide. If you don't show, I'll know. And I'll never bother you again. But if you choose this – if you choose us – you know where I'll be."

_I'll never bother you again_.

This was her one chance…and if Emma failed then she could lose him forever.

Emma wouldn't fail.

But Snow didn't know that for sure. It'd been weeks, Snow had dropped tons of hints, and Emma was surrounded by what Snow thought should be proof and she hadn't budged yet.

Charming survived the curse. He pulled through the coma. There had to be a reason for it.

Maybe he was meant to survive.

Maybe by going to him, she was helping Emma weaken the curse enough to break it.

She needed to speak to her daughter. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't hear of it if she went to him, but he was biased. He'd shoot it down but Emma would see both sides.

And maybe, subconsciously, she was hoping Emma would encourage her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

The sheriff was in the way, Snow nearly trampled him, "Emma, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Graham realized this was a private conversation, "I'll just…go patrol my office." 

"Thanks," Emma said.

Snow waited until he was in his own office with the door closed, "He left his wife. David – he left her. He left Kathryn."

Emma processed what she told her, "Okay, slow down."

"He did it for me! He wants me to be with him," And she so wanted to be with him, "He wants me to meet him tonight."

"That's uh…."

Snow wanted to finish, "I mean, I'm trying so hard to be strong, but he keeps coming. I mean, how do I stop it? You know, how do I let him down? What would you do?"

She waited for her daughter to shoot her down. To tell her not to go this route…because if Emma told her not to, she wouldn't.

"I'd go," Emma said quietly.

Snow blinked, "What?"

It wasn't until now that Snow realized she hadn't really expected Emma to encourage her.

"Well, he left her. It's one thing to say that he wants you, but it's another to actually make a choice and now, he has. That's all you can ask for."

Snow played with her engagement ring, "Given her new friendship with Kathryn, I don't think Regina would be happy."

"All the more reason to do it."

Snow could protect David. She had the advantage. Regina didn't know that she was awake. And she still had Rumpelstiltskin's alliance and Emma's.

And she could talk to David if they were together. He would listen to anything she said. She'd make him believe…she'd find a way to tell him the truth and wake him up. They could work on their relationship. They had true love; true love could break any curse.

All she had to do was go.

"Good Lord," Snow whispered, "Is this really happening?" 

Emma gave a small smile, "You tell me."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000

Snow wasn't home for dinner. Rumpelstiltskin knew she wouldn't be.

The allure of true love would be too much for her. She was waiting at the bridge for Charming.

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't judge her for the decision, not really. He'd have done the same if Belle were here.

He was sort of going to miss her. It'd been awhile since he had someone that trusted him like Snow did. And he was sort of going to miss sharing a room with her and being lulled to sleep with her snore.

Someone came into the shop, he ignored it. He wanted to finish repairing this table leg.

_"Hello?" _

Was that….no, it couldn't be…what was he doing here? His wife was waiting for him!

"_Hello?" _

Charming was here? Why? To fight over the same woman? David could have her! There was nothing romantic there for him. He just had to hear Elias Gold sit there waxing poetical about her eyes.

At the very least, he would have time to work on Emma without Snow's morality speeches for the limited time Emma would probably stay there without Snow.

David was examining Emma's mobile when he came in. His back was to him, he hadn't heard him come through. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help himself, "Charming."

David turned around. There was nothing there, no recognition of the nickname Snow had given him, "I'm sorry?"

"The mobile," Rumpelstiltskin covered smoothly, "Isn't it charming? Exquisitely designed, masterly crafted…I can get it down, if you like."

"No, no. I mean it's…very nice, but actually, I'm looking for the Toll Bridge."

He'd found it once under the state of delirium…how hard would it be to find it again? Gods, he even had a map!

"The mayor said, there was a fork in the road by your shop, but-."

Regina led him here; she knew what Charming and Snow were trying to do. This was already a bad idea on their part, "It seems Miss Mills has led you astray."

Hadn't she, though.

"Yeah, yeah," David smiled obliviously, "You would think the Mayor would know her own town."

Regina sent David here for a purpose. She was expecting him to stop this before it happened. This might be a test, she wanted to see if he remembered himself…but there was something about this that told Rumpelstiltskin that he'd be showing his hand if David left here to go to the toll bridge for Snow.

"One would think," he said silently. This would break Snow's heart, but it had to be done to protect all of them. Regina knew what was happening. She sent David here for Rumpelstiltskin to fix it.

And they'd be endangering themselves if he didn't…he was a fan of true love after all. The real Rumpelstiltskin would let them get together. Elias Gold would fight to keep his wife.

He waved his hand and used what little magic he had left and used the objects he had in his shop as a conduit to enchant the windmill. This was best; this was for everyone's safety.

"Out the door, turn right, two blocks you'll find a trail. Can't miss it."

David smiled, acting like he wasn't even going to take Mr. Gold's wife, "Thank you."

He turned to leave and stopped when he saw the windmill behind him.

"See something you like?" Rumpelstiltskin asked casually.

"Where did you get that?" David stared at the windmill.

"That old thing? That's been gathering dust for….forever."

David spun the blades and watched it, "I think…..this belonged to me"

"Really?" Rumpelstiltskin asked and narrowed his eyes, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," David whispered like he was in a trance

It worked. A crisis was avoided. Snow, he, Emma, Henry, David and Kathryn were safe. What he'd done was almost heroic.

He gave a small smile. He'd done what he had to do. Just like he always did.

David never took his eyes off it, "I remember."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow fiddled with her ring, the only ring on her fingers now. She'd removed the wedding bands that linked her to Rumpelstiltskin. It didn't seem right that she take anything of theirs with her. She felt weird just wearing Mary Margaret's clothes.

Things would change. She'd get better clothes; she could help support them with her teacher salary. There was a nice apartment they could rent together, Rumpelstiltskin would probably either let her have it for free or give her a discount. He couldn't hold this against her, could he?

She was going against him. Of course he would.

She looked up when she saw David come down the path. She smiled brightly at him and started forward.

"You came," he didn't smile back.

Snow stopped, something was wrong, "You sound surprised. In fact, you almost sound a bit disappointed." 

He swallowed, "I remember."

At first she thought he was talking about how he remembered their true selves and she became excited. But he was too cautious, he wasn't coming to embrace her, there was nothing in his eyes that spoke of Charming.

And she knew, "Kathryn?"

He nodded, 'Everything."

No…no, she'd been so close. She struggled with the tears. He'd go back to someone he never had a past with, "And you love her."

"I don't know," he told her, "But I know I did. I remember how I felt and I think I have to honor that."

He didn't have to honor a nonexistent marriage that he thought was failing.

Snow grew angry, "And everything that you said to me-."

"Is true," he told her in an almost pleading voice, "I do have feelings for you – intense feelings. Feelings I don't quite understand."

"And you're going back to her," Snow said through clenched teeth.

"It's the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do," A tear slipped from her face. No, she couldn't cry, not in front of him. This wasn't her husband, "Was not to lead me on."

David lowered his eyes, "I know."

Snow looked down, "So, you've made your choice."

"I'm sorry."

"That's okay," she said in a faux soothing voice, "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Snow wrapped her sweater tighter around herself and turned her back to him and walked away.

She tried to be calm, but as soon as her back was turned, she let the tears pour down her face.

She'd been so close.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin was already drinking by the time Snow got home. And gods, if it didn't look tempting. What was a half bottle this morning was now almost empty. There was another full bottle waiting.

Her rings were sitting next to the bottles.

He turned, he wasn't drunk yet, but he seemed intent on getting there, "Snow, you're here."

"Yeah," Snow whispered, she realized he didn't seem all that surprised, but he had foresight, he probably knew this might happen. Or else, after seeing things like this for centuries, he probably knew, "Fear not, Rumpelstiltskin, we won't be exposed, I am still your wife."

She put the wedding rings on and poured herself a glass. She downed it on gulp. She would call in tomorrow. She didn't want to work. She wanted to drink herself so drunk that she forgot everything that hurt and spend the rest of the day in bed sleeping off a painful hangover.

It tasted like fire, and she finally sobbed and clenched the empty glass, "He remembers. He remembers all the wrong things."

Rumpelstiltskin stared at his half empty glass and then downed it, "I'm sorry, Snow."

Snow wasn't sure how much they drank after that. But finally, she just stopped, when one tumbler turned into three in front of her and she hung her head and started sobbing.

Was this what she was reduced to?

She felt Rumpelstiltskin's arm around her. She turned to him for comfort; there was no one else here who would. She was so tired…she was so tired of being useless and she thought that she could…do something and it'd blown up in her face.

It felt like she was in a dream. There were urges there and Snow just let herself drift. Her body moved and she didn't have control over it and she didn't care. She was just so tired of fighting; she'd been doing it for years.

And then she realized she didn't have control.

It was like being in a dream, and knowing you were in a dream…but not having the strength or will to pull away from it and wake herself up.

She slipped away and Mary took control, Snow watched as she reached out and touched Rumpelstiltskin's face. She watched as Mary kissed him. She watched as the same cloud that was over everyone else's eyes clouded over Rumpelstiltskin'sand she knew that he lose control as well. This wasn't her; this was Mary Gold kissing her husband. She felt Mary's love for him and it almost felt good…it almost felt soothing.

He kissed her so hard that her lips hurt.

Then Mary straddled her husband's lap and Snow started to get uncomfortable.

Elias's hand went to her thigh.

_NO! _

Snow forced herself to fight for her own body, she forced herself to wake up and take control. She gave a sob of relief when she got control, shoved Mary as far back against her mind as she possibly could and herself back from Elias Gold, "No."

Elias stopped. She saw the clarity in his eyes and knew that Rumpelstiltskin was in control again. She saw his face crumble and he looked disgusted, "Forgive me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I didn't stop my personality and I could have," He muttered and almost looked ashamed, "I'm sorry."

Snow drew in a few deep breaths and watched her hands shake. That had almost been a very regretful mistake. She stared down into his large brown eyes, "Let's not…get drunk together anymore."

He smiled wryly, "That'd probably be a good idea."

"And we probably shouldn't share a room tonight.

He nodded, "That might be best."

"I'm sorry," she whispered again. This was her fault, she let her guard down and Mary took control and now she was humiliated.

At least she'd been able to stop.

The front door opened, "Mary Margaret, are you here?"

Emma came to the living room and then stopped when she saw them. Snow was still a bit drunk; she hadn't thought to remove herself from straddling Rumpelstiltskin's lap yet.

From Emma's position, it probably looked incredibly…wrong.

"God," Emma looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here, "Get a room, you two! I sit on that couch!"


	8. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

To say that Rumpelstiltskin and Snow avoided each other after Emma caught them in what she _thought_ was mid-intercourse was an understatement.

They didn't share the room that night, and Snow was up bright and early in the morning. She stopped at Jefferson's house and left a note telling him the time and date for his daughter's career day. It'd been moved back like it was every year to meet parents' schedules. She also made a note to visit Jefferson later and spend an afternoon with him so he could have company.

But not that day, she spent it catching up on her grading, skipped lunch, had a very long dinner by herself at the diner and then drove to the cabin in the woods and cleaned it.

Anything to get out of having to talk to Rumpelstiltskin about how she'd lost control and pretty much mounted him.

Gods, how could she have looked at herself in the mirror if she'd gone through with it? She was Snow White, married to Charming and she'd nearly betrayed him. It was different for her as opposed to his David Nolan personality. She knew what was going on.

Even going as far as she had filled her with guilt. She just had to wait. She would see her husband again, she had to be patient.

It was hard to remember that or be patient when she drove back and saw David and Kathryn Nolan walking hand in hand together down the street. She had to tell herself that the curse would weaken until it broke and she'd have her husband and daughter back. All that was left was the waiting.

No one was home yet when she pulled into the driveway. Snow was grateful; she could relax in the tub for a bit and then climb into bed. She'd worn herself out and she hoped that she'd settle into a dreamless sleep without dreaming about Rumpelstiltskin as Mr. Gold and her as Mary Margaret happy and in love.

Was that a bouquet of flowers on the table with her name on it? No, Snow wasn't going to think about it now; she was going to be the first to hog all the hot water and go to bed.

She did dream about them and she couldn't wake up or control it…and then her alarm didn't go off. So she was rushing around that morning, trying to get everything together when she saw Emma throw the bouquet of flowers into the trash.

"Hey, wait, what are you doing?" she rushed to get them out.

"If Graham thinks flowers will work on me….," Emma started.

Snow tensed. She'd seen them flirting. The Sheriff was older than even herself was, when they met. And that'd been years before she met Charming, and he was looking to get with her daughter?

If the sheriff wasn't forced into that sick slavery that Regina forced him into, then Snow would be a little more reluctant about letting the man that nearly killed her date her daughter. But she felt pity for him and they hadn't been able to keep her safe so…she wasn't sure how she felt about a possible match. It'd be nice if Emma found a man who liked her for her before the curse broke. She could have any man she wanted when they realized who she was, but at the same time, Graham made Snow uncomfortable. Because he wasn't the Huntsman and Emma would be falling for a lie.

"No," Snow muttered, "Those….were mine."

"Oh," Emma pulled on an overcoat, "From David? You might want to hide those then."

"No. Uh….from Elias."

"Why would Mr. Gold-."

Snow gave Emma a look.

"Are you serious?" Emma asked stunned, "I never pegged him for a flower guy. So is it… 'That couch sex was amazing,' or 'Sorry about the couch sex,' bouquet? I noticed you guys haven't been in the same room since." 

"It's just a disaster," Snow muttered.

"No!" Emma went to the kitchen, "Barring my…awkwardly time entrance, It's amazing! You're trying to get over David."

"First of all, there's nothing to get over," Snow lied, "Second of all…what you walked in on didn't mean anything between Elias and I. It was just a thing that happened and we both wish we could forget about."

"Not according to those flowers," Emma teased, "That is definitely not a…whatever it is that married people have that equate to one night stands with each other that isn't roleplaying."

Snow really hoped Emma forgot about what she thought she saw when the curse broke, "I'm still learning. We've never…did something like that before without emotions attached. I feel guilty."

"Why?" Emma grabbed the orange juice, "There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. One nighters are as far as I ever go."

Snow didn't want to hear that. Maybe it was her old way of thinking, but she didn't want to know how her daughter became so hurt that sleeping with men she didn't know was an acceptable lifestyle. She was pretty, surely she could have settled down? "Well, yeah. That's because you're-."

She hesitated. She wanted to say 'alone' but that wasn't true. Not anymore.

Emma watched her, "Because I'm what?" 

"Nevermind," Snow walked away.

Emma followed her, "Yeah? Tell me – what do I do?"

"You're just," Snow thought of the best word, "Protecting yourself. With that wall you put up." 

Emma looked offended, "Just because I don't get emotional over men-."

"You don't get emotional over men?" Snow asked, "Uh, the floral abuse tells a different story."

"What story is that?"

Snow didn't want to play Captain Obvious today, especially to a situation that she wasn't sure she approved of until the Huntsman was awake, "The one that's obvious to everyone except, apparently, you – that you have feelings for Graham."

Emma gave her an exasperated look, "Come on."

There was a thing about Emma that Snow had noticed in her first few days living with them. Emma wanted a friend. Emma wanted someone to be close to and sometimes Snow could feel her trying to reach out…but make a wrong move or say the wrong thing and then there was a wall or a wedge between the two of them that Emma put up so fast that Snow thought she'd actually physically run into it, "There's that wall."

"That's not a wall!" Emma protested.

"Really?" Snow asked but she knew the answer.

"There's….nothing wrong with being cautious."

"Oh, true. True," Snow walked forward and looked into her daughter's eyes, "But Emma, that wall of yours? It may keep out pain but it also may keep out love."

And then there was a different look in Emma's eyes. It was a flicker but she saw it.

Fear.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin was NOT avoiding Snow. That would be ridiculous. He'd had many women in his lifetimes and several times the brief affections shared meant nothing. There were very few that he allowed to get close. Snow was not one of those that he counted as particularly close, he didn't trust her yet but that was because of how many other times he'd been betrayed. Not because of anything she'd done.

He didn't come home until late last night. If Regina was going to start playing games with people's minds and she started suspecting him of being awake, he had to hide the thing that controlled him. Regina didn't know about the dagger, but he wasn't going to risk it. It took him all evening to find a place where he was comfortable enough to dig and then it was awhile before he was able to dig a hole large enough. His bad leg was screaming at him and he leaned on his cane heavily before he was able to get home.

Today, he took the dagger and buried it. It was a lot easier to fill in the hole than it was to dig it up and he let himself think about what had nearly come to pass that drunken night.

Maybe it was because there was a part of her that loved a part of him and they both knew it wasn't real but there were feelings there that would never go away. Maybe it was because they were relying on each other right now completely.

It would've meant nothing and he would've been ashamed of himself because he knew that Snow deserved far better than that.

He hadn't lost control until she straddled his lap. He should've said 'no' when she kissed him but he'd been so drunk and stunned. And then when she moved towards him, he had a fleeting thought of 'what if?' and that's when Elias Gold took control.

But he knew better. Snow was in love with her husband and he was in love with his Belle. To cling to a hope of a happy ending with her because their other personalities cared for each other was nothing more than a dream. It wasn't that he wanted Snow, it was simply that he didn't want to be alone again.

He heard something in the woods when he started back. He felt a bit of surprise when he saw the sheriff standing there. Had he been followed? Had the sheriff followed him on Regina's orders? No….he'd have to move the knife again! Oh Gods….

"Good morning, sheriff," he greeted carefully, "Sorry if I startled you."

The sheriff wasn't looking very good. He looked like he had a fever. His eyes were bloodshot, he was shaking and he was panting like he was out of breath.

"Right, sorry, I…I thought you were a wolf."

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't sure Graham knew where he was, much less knew Rumpelstiltskin was burying something. Perhaps he was safe. Rumpelstiltskin managed a small smile, "Did I forget to shave? "

"What are you doing out here so early?"

Rumpelstiltskin hadn't expected that and the lie was pitiful, "A spot of gardening. Yourself?"

Graham didn't seem like he noticed that it was obviously a fib, "I was looking for, um…"

He didn't look like he wanted to say, "A wolf. Yeah, I think I'm beginning to catch on. You know, to the best of my knowledge, Sheriff, there are no wolves in Storybrooke. Not the literal kind, anyway. Why are you looking?"

The Huntsman was notorious for having a wolf. Could it be that his prolonged exposure to the savior had him remembering? Was that how Emma worked?

"You'll think I'm crazy."

Rumpelstiltskin gave him as gentle a smile as he could, "Try me." 

"I saw one…in my dreams," Graham said, "And then I saw one for real. Just a few hours ago. Did you, uh…did you see anything unusual…out there?"

Graham seemed like he trusted him, but maybe this was a trick. Maybe Regina was trying to bait him by showing him something of the old world and how he reacted. Maybe Graham hadn't even seen a wolf.

But what if he had? 

"I'm afraid not," Rumpelstiltskin started, "I do wish I could be more helpful. You know, Sheriff, they say that dreams are….memories….memories of another life.

He hoped that if Graham was starting to remember, then Snow was in those memories. They could control him if he relied on Rumpelstiltskin and Snow.

"And…w-what do you believe?" Graham asked.

Rumpelstiltskin gave him his most enigmatic smile, "I never rule out anything."

He picked up the shove, "Good luck, sheriff. I do hope you find what you're looking for."

He walked off.

This could be an amazing opportunity, but if he wasn't careful, Regina would know. He had to make sure she wasn't involved in this before he found out how he should proceed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The final bell for the day rang and Snow realized she had no reason why she couldn't go home. The shop was closed today; he would be waiting for her there. Snow wasn't sure what she should do, she wasn't sure she could avoid Rumpelstiltskin for very much longer. They had to talk about it…and hopefully lay some new boundaries.

"Mary Margaret?" 

Snow looked up at the sheriff. What was he doing here? Snow thought she'd passed the note on to him for career day.

"Can I talk to you?"

He didn't look good. He looked like he should be in bed; Snow thought he looked like he was ready to just fall over, "Graham? What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"I think we, uh…I think we know each other."

How odd. "Of course we do!"

"No, no, no," he said quickly, "Not from here. Not from Storybrooke." 

"From Boston?"

"I don't think so," he shook his head.

Snow felt a tingling in the back of her neck. Could it be that…he was starting to remember?

She had to be careful though, Regina had his heart, this might be a trap, "From where, then?" 

Graham hesitated and looked like he was searching for the right words to say, "Another life."

Snow pulled him over to a couple of desks and they sat down. Graham seemed upset and confused as she did so. Snow wanted to tell him, she wanted to tell him everything but she also knew why that would be risky. Regina controlled his heart.

"Mary Margaret," he started, "How long have we known each other?" 

"Um…I don't know. Awhile," she wasn't sure he'd believe her if she said 'decades'.

"Do you remember when we met?" he asked almost desperately.

"Umm," Snow looked for the right answer and realized she had to lie, "No."

"Me neither," he told her, "I can't remember when I met you, or when I met anyone. Isn't that odd?"

"I don't know. I mean, I suppose. But I think that's just life," at least the life in this snow globe, "things get hazy."

"Have I ever hurt you?".

He looked like such a lost child and Snow felt guilty that she couldn't really assure him that he'd saved her life and that of Charming's, "Oh Graham. No, of course not. What's going on?"

Graham hesitated, "Do you believe in other lives?"

"Mm," Snow tried to play stupid, "Like heaven?" 

"I mean like past lives."

And then Snow knew what she had to do. She couldn't give away her position at this point in time without risking Regina finding out but Regina couldn't suspect anything if Regina told him about Henry and Henry put him on the path he needed to go down, "You've been talking to Henry." 

"Henry?"

"Well, he has this book of stories. He's been going on about how he thinks we're all characters from them. From another land. We've forgotten who we really are."

She saw something in his mind start to click and she shook her head quickly just in case he suspected Mary Margaret believed it, "Which of course makes no sense."

"Right," Graham said, but his mind was made up, "Of course."

"Graham," Snow leaned over and touched his forehead. He definitely had a fever. How was it that Graham was going through this when Snow never did. Was it because she was linked with Rumpelstiltskin and he would want to transition to be as easy as possible for himself. Would everyone else go through what Graham was? "Ah, you are burning up. Go home and get some rest. I think you'll feel much better after you've had some sleep."

At least he wouldn't make it so obvious.

"Right, you're absolutely right. I'm sorry to disturb you. Thank you."

"Of course," Snow smiled and watched him leave. She made sure he went to the parking lot and got in his car. He didn't head towards his apartment though; he headed towards Regina's house.

Snow would wait. She'd let Henry do his work at convincing him. Snow was certain he was almost ready. And then when enough time passed, she would call Emma. Maybe…just maybe he could get her to believe.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Emma hadn't come home yet, Snow was worried.

Worried because her daughter was out with a man that was not himself…and because she was here alone with Rumpelstiltskin.

They'd been civil to the other, they cooked dinner together (Stood on opposite ends of the kitchen to do so.

"Graham came to the school today," she finally said and put the casserole into the oven.

Rumpelstiltskin looked over his shoulder, "Did he now?"

Snow nodded, "I think he's starting to remember. I sent him to talk to Henry and then I sent Emma….maybe he can start to convince her."

Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow, "You did all that?" 

Snow looked at him, "The curse is weakening on him, I wanted to make sure someone could help him without blowing our own covers."

"Well, aren't you warming up to this manipulation thing?" 

It sounded so proud…and so affectionate that Snow smiled a little, "I'm not very good at it."

"You get even two thirds of your wished results, and I'd say you're a very good beginner."

I've never done anything like this before."

"I should've kept you on as an assistant when we were back home," he said and turned off the stove. You'd have been a great apprentice."

"No, I don't think I would've been happy," she said quietly.

Rumpelstiltskin hesitated and then crossed over to her, "You know, us avoiding each other for something that didn't happen is childish."

"If nothing happened then we shouldn't need to talk about it," Snow said, "We lost control and we nearly didn't stop ourselves. My daughter came in and thought we were…further along in it than we actually were and today she was asking for details concerning the flowers you got me. We both lost control and I'm sorry that my alternate initiated it." 

"I continued it, it was my fault."

"We just…wont' let it happen again," Snow said.

"We won't," he agreed, "Because you and I are in this together and it would be devastating to lose my only ally because we were stupid.

Snow nodded and kissed his cheek, "Thank you."

Well, that wasn't so bad.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin spent the night in her room so Emma could think that things were going well for the couple now that they were moving past David Nolan.

He didn't so much mind the couch, it was comfortable and the pillow Snow let him have was fluffy but he really wanted a bed. However, after the drunken lap fiasco, Rumpelstiltskin didn't feel comfortable asking if he could jump in Snow's bed…even if they were adults being mature. It was far too tempting. He didn't feel comfortable being shirtless around Snow; she was a lady after all.

And he was a lowly coward peasant turned deformed coward imp that no one could love. His clothes stayed on and he kept his distance.

Through the light of the window, he looked at the sleeping form in the covers. So, was she going to keep him in the family? Or abandon him when everyone woke up?

Would he be remembered as the man who helped keep her safe?

Could this be his atonement?

He started to drift off but was awakened by Snow White's cell phone. She groaned at the disturbance and answered it, "Hello?"

Probably Emma. Who else would call? He turned over to go to sleep.

"Slow down, Emma! What?"

Rumpelstiltskin lifted his head up and watched as Snow threw the blankets up and stood up, "We'll be there in two minutes."

"What's going on?"

"Get dressed," Snow said, turned her back to him and pulled off her long sleeve shirt. He automatically turned away to give her her privacy.

"What's happened?"

Snow rushed to the closet, "Graham's collapsed."

"What?" he pulled off the covers of the couch and grabbed his cane, "Is he dead?"

Snow paled, "I don't know, but Emma was crying…I don't think it's looking good."

00000000000000000000000000000000

Every time they got a victory, it felt like they were forced several steps back and now it had claimed a life.

Regina was responsible for this…she had to have be. She realized that something was going on and she killed him.

Snow should've…eased his fears more. She should've told him…but she thought that since he looked so sick, Regina might ignore it.

Of course she wouldn't. She wouldn't risk anyone finding out.

And now Snow knew the price of remembrance.

They were quiet until they pulled up to the sheriff's station. It hit home when Snow saw that there was no ambulance….but there was a hearse.

"He's dead then," Rumpelstiltskin said. Snow could hear a slight bit of anger in his voice.

"He didn't deserve that." Snow whispered, "He saved my life and Regina made him pay for it."

"Just one of the many lives she's ruined," Rumpelstiltskin said, "And one of the many who didn't get their life back."

Snow saw her daughter leaning against the sheriff's car with her arms wrapped around herself. Snow bolted out of the car and was by her daughter's side. Emma's face was swollen; her eyes were red and puffy. She was shaking against the cold.

"He's dead," Emma whispered, that wall that they'd talked about earlier today was as tall and thick as ever, "I tried to save him….I tried to save him but he…he died."

Rumpelstiltskin came up behind her and handed her a blanket. Snow wrapped it around her daughter. She was reluctant to hug her…she didn't know how Emma might react, she was clearly in shock.

Through the light, Snow saw a bruise forming on Emma's face. Had she been in a fight?

"Oh Emma."

"It's my fault," Emma whispered.

"It wasn't your fault," she promised her.

"I should've…started CPR faster, I should've saved him."

Snow blinked away tears," Sometimes you can't save them."

Emma closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Come along dear," Rumpelstiltskin put his hand on Emma's back in an almost tender paternal way, "Let's get you home. There's nothing more you can do here tonight."


	9. Desperate Souls

Snow felt crushing guilt for not saving Graham. They'd saved him in the Enchanted Forest…or as well as they could without being able to find his heart but in the end…in _this _place Regina had him again and he was reduced to being her sex slave for 28 years.

It'd all been for nothing.

They brought Emma home that night…Emma kept trying to be hopeful. She whispered that maybe the hospital could save him, it led to dubious looks between Snow and Rumpelstiltskin in the front. They both knew better, they knew he couldn't be saved.

His heart was dust now.

Snow made sure Emma was in bed before she went downstairs and made herself some hot chocolate. No alcohol, though it was tempting. Snow didn't want to take that temptation tonight….or any night.

Rumpelstiltskin leaned on the mantle of the fireplace in the den and watched the fire burn.

"He was a good man," Snow whispered.

"Being good doesn't protect you against evil," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"Yes, I think that's a lesson we're all aware of," she said bitterly and tried to fight tears. He died because he spared her once…over thirty years ago and his life had been in Regina's hands ever since. He died because of _her_.

He shifted and then looked at her. Any grief in his eyes was gone now, "Tell me something, dear….in your….mission to clean our house top to bottom, do you recall where you put the town charter?"

"Why do you need it?" Snow asked tiredly. It'd been such a long day…surely he just wanted to go to bed.

"I need to see something," he looked over to her, "We'll need to secure your daughter her sheriff's position which should automatically fall to her. I need to make sure that she'll get it no matter what Regina tries."

"I trust this isn't for the goodness of your heart….Emma getting a memory of Graham and all that."

"She needs a position of authority to stand up to Regina," he took a small sip of his scotch, "But if it's how I believe it is…there must be an election."

Snow was too tired to plot with him, "People will vote for Emma, she's a deputy and she has experience in dealing with-."

"She has experience in dealing with bail jumpers, dear. Those aren't that prevalent here," he looked back at the fire, "No….they won't vote for her, she's still a stranger and they're utterly terrified of Regina."

"They're more scared of you. Tell them to vote for her."

Rumpelstiltskin looked amused, "Then she'll look like just look like my patsy as opposed to whoever Regina's would be. We need to show the town that she's a leader; that she's strong…otherwise how will they follow her once the curse is broken?" 

"So what…? You want her to stand up to you?"

"They've seen her stand against Regina…it's time they see her stand against me."

Snow scoffed and laughed bitterly.

"Is something wrong, dear?"

"So that's it, then? A man is dead and it's just business as usual?"

"A lot more will die before this is over; will you stop everything and mourn for them too? Or the ones you felt you failed?"

Snow cringed.

"Regina could strike at any moment. We need to be ready," he told her a bit more gently, "The time for grieving will be later."

Snow stood, "Tell that to Emma."

She left her mug on the table and went upstairs to check on her daughter. He was right; she knew Regina would try to hit them when they were down. She'd certainly done that to Snow. Snow hadn't even been allowed to grieve properly over her father's death. She had been forced to fend for her life. Maybe that's why a part of her was rebelling at him wanting to charge ahead.

Snow knocked on Emma's door softly and opened it. Emma's back was turned to the door, "Emma?"

She saw Emma shift and she knew Emma was awake.

"You feel like talking about it?" 

"No," Emma said without turning around. Snow could hear the grief in her voice.

Snow faltered. She didn't know what else she could do if she couldn't talk it out with Emma, "You want to be alone?"

"No," Emma whispered in the darkness.

Snow closed the door behind her. She went to lie next to Emma on the bed. She couldn't comfort her as a mother could. Emma would never allow it.

But at the very least, Snow could be here for her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Two weeks passed, Rumpelstiltskin waited with baited breath but nothing happened. Whatever Regina was planning, she certainly wasn't in a hurry to get it done.

Graham's things were brought to him, but most of it could be thrown out. They couldn't be used for what he needed them for. Emma wouldn't have any use for his clothes or his furniture.

Well, he kept the jacket. She might like that. He tried it on, it was quite warm. HE also kept some of the newspaper clippings that told of things that Graham never actually did and some gadgets. Nothing else was any use and he threw it out. The garbage man glared towards the store when he saw the pile waiting for him.

Rumpelstiltskin should've sent a note to burn his mattress in Regina's yard.

When the trash was collected, he called Emma and asked her to come down. She told him she was busy at the moment…but would be by later.

So, he sat down and started preparing for a later phase of his plan. People needed to see a strong leader in Emma, but they also needed to see her as a hero. As she stood up to him in public, which he knew she would because she had that personality…they needed to already be fancying the idea that Emma saved lives. This lanolin was the key to that and it would show her as a savior to the town.

Or blow her and Regina to kingdom come.

He hoped it wasn't the latter. Regina's death wouldn't be so bad but Snow would never forgive him if Emma got hurt.

Not that he cared.

It was around noon when he heard his front door open.

"Gold?"

He smiled when he heard her voice. He enjoyed Emma's spirit and insistence of being a good person despite her upbringing. She was caring and compassionate but hardened and tough. Snow visibly cringed when he jokingly called her his stepdaughter but in truth he wished he'd had a daughter like her.

He had a son though…look what he'd done to him.

"You in here?" Emma called again.

Rumpelstiltskin fought the urge to roll his eyes, "Well, it is my shop."

Emma came into the back room and he looked up and smiled in greeting.

Emma stopped and recoiled back as if she'd been hit, "Whoa! What IS that?"

He looked down. He forgot that some weren't used to the smell. Not everyone grew up in on a farm in this world, unfortunately.

"Oh, this is lanolin – used for waterproofing."

"It smells like livestock!" Emma choked out.

"Well, it's the reason why sheep's wool repels water."

"It stinks!" Emma protested. It almost sounded childish and that amused him, "Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff's Department…if you want to talk about that quickly-."

"Yes," he grabbed his cane and pulled himself up.

"Or outside…"

He made no move to go out the door at first, "I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences really. The Sheriff was a good man."

"After two weeks and you're just now getting to this?" Emma asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes."

"We live together," Emma reminded him, "This never came up?" 

"Would I ever get the chance to speak to you alone with the way you and Mary Margaret are joined?" he asked. Ever since Graham died…ever since the funeral, Emma and Snow had leaned on each other. He barely saw them apart until they went to bed…and he couldn't exactly follow Emma into her room to speak without getting shot by either of them, "I'm a very complicated man when it comes to emotions Deputy Swan…sometimes it takes me a bit to process them and work through them in order to express how I am to act."

"Geez, can't imagine that," Emma sarcastically muttered.

He smiled at the barb and made a show of looking at her badge, "You're still wearing the deputy's badge.

Emma's hand went to protect the badge and she watched him with caution.

"Well, he's been gone two weeks now. I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."

A brief look of panic crossed Emma's face and she looked down at it.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm just…not…in a…hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words…."

Emma awkwardly turned to leave and Rumpelstiltskin followed her. He wondered if that attempt at bonding went well or not. Sometimes he couldn't tell, "I have his things!"

Emma stopped, "What?"

He walked over to the box that he'd placed on the counter, "The Sheriff; he rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."

Emma tensed as she stared at the box. Rumpelstiltskin wondered how much loss and death she'd seen in such a short lifetime, "I don't need anything."

"As you wish," he shrugged and slipped right into his manipulative mode, "I'll give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family."

An angry look crossed Emma's eyes, "I'm not sure about that."

Rumpelstiltskin had her, and he smirked, "No love lost there, I see. Look, I feel that all of this stuff is headed to the trash bin – you really should take something."

He pulled out the jacket, "Look – his jacket."

Emma looked almost interested, but the loss was still too near for her. And she didn't want to look weak in front of him. She hadn't trusted him after the whole 'Ashley's Baby' incident. She always seemed to think he was plotting something!

Emma shook her head, "No."

"Well, look," he dug in the box until he found some walkie talkies, "Your boy might like these, don't you think? You could play together."

"I don't-," Emma started.

"No," he told her gently, "Please. They…they grow up so fast."

Bae…

"Thanks," Emma whispered.

"You should enjoy these with your boy," he told her and tried to ignore the pain of his lost son. After so many centuries, the pain felt fresh and raw still, "Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children – before you know it, you lose them."

Emma looked hesitant. Like she knew she was intruding on something important

"I'll wrap these up for you," he told her.

"Um…there's no reason," she took the walkies; "I'll take them."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

Snow worried that this career day was going to end in disaster with the way that Jefferson was staring at Grace from his chair

She was making a big risk bringing him here. Henry had told her that Regina wouldn't show. She never did to things like this, she was too busy.

What exactly did she do all day? Snow just figured that Regina never bothered with what Henry wanted unless it was to spite someone else.

Jefferson had met with Rumpelstiltskin in the shop every night for a week. Jefferson was going to pretend he was a lawyer. Snow thought that was going to be extremely complicated to get right, but then again…who would notice? The only other lawyer in this town was King George.

But Jefferson wanted to get it right; he wanted to look smart for his daughter.

The way he was looking at his daughter in a mix of love and loss though…Snow knew that look. Snow thought he'd forget everything he was supposed to say now that he was focused on his daughter. Snow usually did when she looked at her child.

Henry sat on the front row and watched Jefferson with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. He'd never seen Jefferson before, but Jefferson had seen him grow up.

Snow tried not to think how he'd seen that.

Jefferson cleared his throat and straightened his cravat. He was to go first. He started to speak…and it was so well thought out and eloquent that Snow listened to every word. It might not all even be right. He might even be making it up but he was so confidant in what he was saying his old job was that no one would've ever known.

And Snow smiled as something seemed to click in Paige's mind and she hung on to every word too.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0

"Thank you….so much for what you did for me today," Jefferson told Snow later at lunch. She didn't eat, she wasn't hungry. They sat across from each other in the classroom and casually talked. Snow wanted to come up and see him and spend some time with him so he wasn't lonely. Rumpelstiltskin had cringed when she told him. He told her that he wasn't called the Mad Hatter for nothing and urged caution.

"It was nothing," Snow told him, "You needed to see your daughter."

"I won't forget this," he promised.

"There's no need to-."

"I mean it," Jefferson told her and took her hands. Snow tensed when she felt his hand trap hers, "No matter what happens….if something happens to Rumpelstiltskin…or Regina finds out about you….you can come to me. I'll look after you. That's what friends do, right?"

She saw the desperation there…he wanted a connection, he didn't care from who.

"Yes," Snow told him, "That's what friends do."

Jefferson gave her a handsome beaming smile and kissed her cheek, "I should go."

"Already? I thought we were going to have lunch."

"The wife of the most powerful man in town having dinner with a strange man will generate gossip in this small town," Jefferson put his hand on her shoulder, "We can't let certain people know."

Snow felt her shoulders sag, "I'll come see you on the hill."

He smiled again, "I think that would be nice."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Snow's good mood was ruined the minute she walking into the house and heard music blaring, a half opened bottle of whiskey on the counter, and Emma; hair in a messy ponytail, trying to pry something out of what USED to be the toaster.

Kids these days. How was Emma supposed to hear if her ears were ruined?

She turned off the music. Emma jumped and turned towards her.

"Toaster broken?" Snow asked.

"It wasn't when I started with it," Emma said guiltily, "Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something."

There were plenty of pillows in the house.

"What's going on?"

"Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff," Emma said angrily, "It's MY job."

Rumpelstiltskin had told Snow to expect this. But even then, she felt fear for her daughter's safety and anger at Regina for sinking this low.

"I've never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?"

Emma shrugged, "I don't know. I just….I know I want it back."

"There must be a reason," Snow told her.

Emma sat at the table and laid her head down, "Maybe I just want to beat her."

Snow looked up as Rumpelstiltskin limped into the room with a rather large binder in his hands. Looks like he found his copy of the charter after all, "Good evening, ladies."

"Hi honey," Snow greeted and kissed him for show. As the weeks had passed, the idea didn't disgust her as much as it used to.

"Hmm," Emma muttered from the table.

"Sorry for the intrusion Miss Swan," Rumpelstiltskin put the binder on the table in front of her, "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Emma looked up, her eyes searched for Snow.

"I'll let you two talk," Snow excused herself and left the room but she wasn't out of earshot or view.

"I heard about what happened," Rumpelstiltskin sat down across from Emma, "Such an injustice."

Emma averted her gaze, "Yeah, well, what's done is done."

Rumpelstiltskin was quiet for a minute, "Spoken like a true fighter."

"I don't know what chance I have," Emma said, "She's Mayor and I'm, well, me."

And Emma just inadvertently played in his hands.

"Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more."

Snow felt every muscle tense up. A long time ago…it felt like a lifetime ago, Snow had sworn to raise her daughter in such a way to where she'd NEVER need the help of the Dark One. And here she was helping the Dark One control a situation enough so that Emma was manipulated into getting a job that she wanted.

"How would you like a benefactor?" he asked.

"A benefactor?"

Rumpelstiltskin put his hand on the binder in front of him, "You know, it's really shocking how few people study the town charter."

"The town charter?" Emma asked carefully.

"Well, it's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems."

From her position, she saw Emma start to smile at Rumpelstiltskin who was smiling back.

And Snow realized, with a very guilty conscience that they had her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

The news of Emma deciding to run against the Mayor and her candidate (Mostly the Mayor) spread through the town like wildfire.

And Rumpelstiltskin was satisfied. So few people paid attention to their local politics. He wanted everyone to know that an authority change was coming.

And it was going to happen soon. Everything was in place for Emma's spectacular rescue attempt. No one used the back entrance of City Hall unless Regina didn't want to be seen and when Emma went to confront her over the mudslinging that was sure to follow Emma announcing that she was running, then Emma would get her moment.

Or Regina would die. Either way, it was a win.

He played with the lighter in his hands and stared at the dancing flame. In all his years, he'd never seen anything as beautiful, hypnotic, destructive, and cleansing as fire was.

The door opened and the bell rang. Rumpelstiltskin looked up to see the queen dragon herself walk in, "Regina."

Regina turned around and flipped the sign from 'open' to 'closed'.

Oh, she had that angry strut, he was in trouble _now_.

"Shall I move some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?"

Regina glared at him in a way that would turn lesser men to stone, "You found that loophole in the town charter."

It wasn't exactly a loophole if it was there in black and white.

"Legal documents – contracts, if you like, always been a fascination of mine."

He was baiting her, but she was too busy in the middle of her temper tantrum to care.

"Yes, you love to trifle with technicalities," she sneered.

Rumpelstiltskin examined a knife display, "I like small weapons, you see. The needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. Subtlety – not your style, I know."

Regina huffed and called him an illegitimate child of unwed parents. Rumpelstiltskin laughed. Oh, if she only knew how close that'd come for her own conception. But fortunately, he had been able to avoid being her father the minute Cora ended it.

He lucked out. Poor Henry.

"I think the grief's getting the better of you, Regina," he told her with a bite, "Shame what happened to Graham."

Regina stormed over, "Don't you talk about him! You know nothing."

Oh, he knew everything of her sick game. He knew what she did to him for over thirty years. And he knew what she'd done to himself and Snow by proxy for almost 30 years and he still felt disgusted and like he could've fought it somehow.

"What is there to know?" he played ignorant, "He died."

Regina faltered, he saw the confusion as he neither confirmed nor denied remembering, "Are you really going up against me?"

"Not directly," he smirked, "We are, after all, both invested in the common good. We're just picking different sides."

"Well, I think you picked a really slow horse this time," Regina told him, "It's not like you to back a loser."

"She hasn't lost yet," he told her confidently. He knew Emma could do it with his backing…and once she did…well; there was nothing this town wouldn't give her.

"She will," Regina told him.

"Never underestimate someone who is acting for their child," he warned.

"He's not her child," Regina challenged him, "Not legally."

As if Regina was one to talk.

"Oh," Rumpelstiltskin mocked, "Now who's trifling with technicalities?"

Regina stopped and glared. Rumpelstiltskin held her gaze until Regina stormed out.

"Goodbye," he whispered and flipped on the lighter, "Your majesty."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Snow had been having dinner with Jefferson up on the hill when the fire started. Jefferson had been entertaining her with stories about his daughter and using the company as an excuse to brag about her. Snow listened until a distant yellow flame shot up into the sky. Jefferson frowned and rushed to the telescope, "Regina's office is burning!"

"What?" Snow rushed forward and looked through the telescope.

Jefferson looked victorious, "Guess someone had enough."

Snow felt her heart stop when she watched for a few seconds and saw Emma help Regina through the door, "Emma's down there!"

"Emma?" she heard the dread in his voice.

Snow grabbed her coat, "I have to get down there!"

"Snow! Wait! It's too dangerous!"

But Snow was already out the door.

Rumpelstiltskin had been talking for two weeks about raising Emma's status up in the eyes of the town. Was he responsible for this? Oh, he had to be, Snow knew deep down that he'd probably done something.

He put her daughter's life on the line. If he honestly did that, how was he going to justify it to her? It was something he HAD to do? Or was he hoping Snow would be ignorant to a fire he possibly started.

When she got there, Emma was surrounded by Archie, Ruby and Granny and some other onlookers. Regina was being seen to by an ambulance. Henry was excitedly talking to one of the firemen. He was probably hearing all about how his mother was a hero.

Snow rushed over. Other than some soot and singed hair, Emma looked safe. It was everything she had to hug her right there, "I heard someone talking, Did you really rescue Regina?"

Henry ran over, "She did! The fireman said it! They saw it!"

Ruby stared at Emma in awe, "You're a hero!"

Snow had to think of a way to capitalize on this quickly before Regina found a way to disperse them. She didn't want to. She wanted to make sure her child was okay but she needed to get this under control or else it would've been for nothing, "We should see if they have a picture of the rescue."

Granny looked over, "We could make campaign posters!"

"Oh!" Archie and the others started walking away, "People would love that!"

Snow trailed behind the others and she looked behind her. For the first time in two weeks, Henry looked excited. He looked happy as Emma knelt in front of him, "This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it and then they want to help you."

Snow gave a warm smile.

Henry stared at his mother in what could probably be seen as a new layer in hero worship, "Maybe you're right."

Emma gave the largest grin that Snow had ever seen on her, "You see, Henry? We don't have to fight dirty."

She saw something in the ashes. Whatever it was made Emma stop. Snow turned away and walked faster down the street. She wouldn't be able to hide her guilty face if Emma confronted her about it.

When she was around a corner, she dialed the number to Rumpelstiltskin's cellphone.

"Hey! Snow!" he sounded jovial.

Snow rolled her eyes, "You could've killed Emma!"

There was silence, "But I didn't. She's alive."

"That doesn't negate the fact that she COULD have died!"

"I did what I had to do."

"By nearly giving my daughter third degree burns?" 

"Oh stop, she's fine. If people want to see her as a hero and savior, then it had to be a big situation that she was placed in! No one's going to care if she saves an old lady by helping her cross the street."

"No, you listen to me," she told him, "You will NOT put my unknowing daughter at risk again. Because if you do, then all bets are off. All deals are off. I WILL protect my daughter and if I have to take your cane and beat you with it until you realize that she's a person who suffered because of decisions we all made and not just a puppet for you to control then I'll do it. Am I clear?"

He was quiet, "Of course, dear."

Snow's hands shook. Did she just-?

"But make no mistake," he continued, "I understand you're protecting your child. But don't dare to think that that threat will get you progress in anything else."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Snow said, continuing her defiance, "Because I try not to use people like that."

"Oh Snow," she practically heard the eye roll, "Really dear?"

"I'm reserving a room at the inn tonight," Snow said, "I'm too angry at what you did to look at you right now…but don't worry, it'll sell the idea that I'm against what you did as well. That's the only way I can get through this without losing Emma."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It didn't bother Rumpelstiltskin that Snow was sleeping away from the house tonight. He knew she'd be angry and she had every reason to be. She'd even found her spine and threatened him when he was a threat to her daughter.

Well, now he was going to have to tread carefully. He wasn't about to tell Snow that he planned to send Emma down to the mines to fight Maleficent.

He wiped off his hands. Emma would be furious too; at least he could spend a quiet evening in his house.

The door opened as he cleaned his hands with a rag. He looked up to see Emma. Oh good, she figured it out.

"Loads of visitors today," he said sarcastically. So, it was like…two people that came. Still far more than what he was getting when the curse weakened.

Emma slammed the door.

Rumpelstiltskin cringed at the sound, "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell!"

"You set the fire!" Emma accused.

Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, "I've been right here, Miss Swan."

She held up the rag that he'd planted earlier, "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil! Turns out its flammable."

Rumpelstiltskin feigned shock, "Are you sure? There's some construction work on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction!"

Emma stared him down, "Why did you do it?"

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled and leaned on his cane, "IF, I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh….Oh, I don't know, being the hero in a fire? "

"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"

"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town," he said but made no effort to tell her that her own mother was his spy, "Or maybe I'm just intuitive…._were _I involved."

"I could've run and left her there."

"Not the time," he confidently said.

Emma shook her head, "I can't go along with this."

"You just did," he smirked, "This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."

"A price I'm not willing to pay," Emma threw the towel down, "Find another sucker."

She turned to walk away.

"Okay, go ahead – expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from."

Emma headed to the door and Rumpelstiltskin couldn't resist a final dig, "Oh yes, um…and who you might be disappointing."

Emma gave him a seething glare before she shut the door. She headed in the direction of the Inn. Rumpelstiltskin watched and smiled as soon as she was out of sight.

This was all going wonderfully!

And he got the whole house to himself tonight.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning, Snow bought some new clothes when the store opened so that she didn't have to go home. When she left the Inn, she'd seen that Emma had reserved a room as well. Granny apparently took pity on her and dropped the 'no criminal' rule or something.

When she got to town hall, Archie shoved a bunch of posters in her hand, "Hang these up."

Snow looked down. They showed Emma practically dragging Regina out of the fire. Well, that was fast. Snow was sure they'd worked all night to get these out on time.

She walked over to the bulletin board in front of Town Hall. Election was supposed to be tonight; she wanted to make sure everyone saw what Emma had done before it was time to vote

She circled around to post another one (or maybe two or three) and saw David standing there.

She hadn't seen him really since he told her he was choosing Kathryn. But just seeing him again now…

"David," she said awkwardly but smiled, "Hi."

"Mary Margaret," David greeted, "Hi."

"I was just, uh….," she gestured to the bulletin board.

"Yeah, yeah. Me too."

"How are things?" Snow asked.

"Okay," he trailed off and then looked at her with pride on his face, "Oh, I got a job. Yeah, I'm working at the animal shelter."

"Really?" Snow asked.

"Yeah."

Snow looked at the poster he was hanging up and cringed at Sidney Glass. Of all people…

Well, Regina DID want a puppet.

"So, Sidney," she started.

David looked embarrassed, "My wife is friends with Regina, so…."

Snow tensed and cordially asked, "Oh right. How is Kathryn?"

Snow didn't really mean for him to tell her, she was just being nice but David was oblivious, "Good. She's meeting me here later."

"That's wonderful," Snow tried not to sound condescending but she wasn't sure she did a good job. She shoved more staples than what was necessary into the poster she was putting up, "Well, I'm all out of posters, I'm going to get some more."

But she didn't. She went inside and went to look for her daughter.

Emma was peeking out from behind the curtain when Snow found her. She reached into her purse and pulled out a bottle of water and some cards, "I thought you could look these over…you might find something useful."

"I'm not going to win," Emma muttered.

Snow smiled at her daughter, "What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire!"

"No," Emma said, the defeat was already creeping into her voice, "Henry's right – I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see."

Snow had a suspicion that this was really about Henry and his depression and the way Emma said her son's name cemented it, "Is this really just about beating Regina?"

"It's just…." Emma trailed off.

"Henry," Snow offered.

"I want to show him that good can actually win."

Snow nodded, they all needed that assurance after what happened to Graham.

"That's why you want to win it for him but why do you want to win the election for yourself?"

Snow wondered if Emma had ever even wanted to get something for herself without fearing having it ripped away from her.

"That IS why," Emma told her, "I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not….if I'm not a hero and I'm not the savior, then what part do I have in his life?"

She stopped and smiled, "Okay, there it is."

"There it is," Snow smiled and put her hand on Emma's shoulder.

She was trying to find a purpose in her son's life. She was slowly moving to wanting to be a mother. It was slow, but it was progress.

The debate was about to start. Snow found that Rumpelstiltskin saved her a chair. She sat beside him and interlinked her arm with his for the benefit of those watching.

"You coming home tonight?" he asked.

"Depends," Snow said.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you endangering my daughter's safety circles around to winning her the election," Snow said simply.

The curtain was pulled back, Emma's eyes widened as she stared at everyone in front of her and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Sidney looked like he was checking his teeth with his tongue.

"Tragedy brought us here," Archie started, "But we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote with your conscience.

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. Snow elbowed him in the ribs.

"So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates- Sidney Glass and Emma Swan," He stopped, "Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy."

No one moved.

"Wow, crickets," he said in embarrassment, "Uh, Mr. Glass- your opening statement."

Snow glowered at her father's murderer. After everything her father had done to make him feel welcome in the palace and he let Regina trick him into taking his life!

Rumpelstiltskin placed his hand on hers. Snow looked down and realized she was about to wring his arm off.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection-."

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled again.

"-of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighborliness, and strength. Thank you."

He took his seat.

Archie went to the podium, "And Emma Swan."

Emma stood up. Her little baby girl that she only held in her arms for a few minutes. Rumpelstiltskin's hands tightened on hers.

Emma watched all of them, "You guys all know I have what they call a, uh….troubled past. But you've been able to overlook it because of the, um….hero thing. But here's the thing….the fire was a setup."

A beat passed everyone started looking around and mumbling to themselves.

Snow did her best to convey shock.

"Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that meant he was going to set a fire."

Rumpelstiltskin feigned annoyance and disappointment in Emma's decision to rat him out. Snow faked an accusatory glance at him and he squirmed just a little bit more so that Emma knew that Snow had NOT been a part of this plan of his.

"I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure," Emma continued, "And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this, _is _– I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."

"Stay here," Rumpelstiltskin whispered and made a show of standing up. Snow moved her feet so he could leave and made sure to glare at him the whole way.

And it was done. He got what he wanted.

And Snow hoped that he got the same results.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

Snow sat in front of the fireplace and flipped through a magazine without really looking at it. She heard the door behind her open. Rumpelstiltskin walked through, "Well, my dear. Voting is about done. I trust you made your vote?"

"Yeah," Snow tossed the magazine on the table, "Did you?"

"But of course," he want and sat in his chair with a tired sigh, "I believe things went well today."

Snow glared at the fire burning in the fireplace.

"I'm sorry for nearly harming your daughter."

"You should've told me."

"You would've never allowed it."

"And WHY do you think that is?" She demanded. "Your plan could've ended VERY badly."

"But it didn't."

"This time," Snow said angrily, "But your luck will run out."

"Well, it hasn't run out yet," he sneered, "I'm still here."

"You're not stupid enough to think good luck thus far will save you from later troubles," Snow told him. He frowned but didn't protest, "I just ask that next time you don't endanger my daughter's life and if you're plotting with me, I know all of the plan. We're allies. Not communicating with each other is how we fall apart.

Rumpelstiltskin was quiet, "I don't handle trust very well."

"The street goes both ways when it comes to you," Snow told him honestly, "But you know we have to.

Rumpelstiltskin took a small drink and nodded, "Very well. I won't make a move in breaking this curse without consulting you first."

Now was that so difficult?

"Thank you," Snow stretched out on the couch.

From her position, she saw the yellow bug pull up into the driveway, "Emma's home."

Rumpelstiltskin stood.

"You don't want to hear how it went?"

"Oh, I'm sure if I come downstairs in the morning and find more of my appliances destroyed, I'll know," he leaned forward, "Emma's paying for a new toaster."

He went upstairs, probably to take a bath before Snow and Emma hogged all the hot water.

Emma came in. There was a stunned look on her face.

Snow stood up, "So?" 

"You weren't at the victory party."

"My husband was accused of setting fire to town hall and he probably did it. I'm not sure I'd be welcome if I-," Snow stopped, "Victory party? You won?"

Emma broke out into a smile, "I won."

Snow rushed forward and hugged her daughter, "I'm so proud of you!"

Emma was so happy that she didn't question Snow's embrace. She just hugged her back and laughed.

"Come on," Snow wrapper her arms around Emma's shoulder, "We'll make a nice dinner."

"Actually," Emma pulled away, "I think I need to talk…to _him." _

Snow frowned. Not now. They were going to celebrate!

"I have to," Emma said before Snow could dissuade her, "If I'm going to live here, we need to get this done."

00000000000000000000000000000000

It was Rumpelstiltskin's house, he wasn't hurting anything when he went into Emma's room and placed the gift on the bed and went to the hall bathroom to get clean towels. He WAS going to get to the shower first and he was going to relax in his nice hot bathtub. These past couple of days were VERY trying on his nerves.

When he came out of the bathroom, he saw Emma standing in her doorway, looking into her room.

He stepped into the hallway, 'The Sheriff's jacket - I thought you might want it after all."

Emma jumped at the sound of his voice and immediately stood straighter, "You do know I'm armed, right?"

Rumpelstiltskin smiled and walked closer, "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did."

Emma tried to piece it all together in her head, "No way. There's no way you planned that."

Oh, he'd planned far more complicated schemes over the years, "Everyone's afraid of Regina. But they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."

Horror dawned on Emma's face as she realized she played right into his hands, "You knew I'd agree."

"Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul," he echoed the same words he could still hear plain as day. They'd been told to him centuries ago by an old man disguised by evil incarnate. Funny how it all came full circle.

"Why did you do this?" Emma asked.

Rumpelstiltskin leaned on his cane, "We made a deal some time back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favor. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me."

Dread was in Emma's gaze now. She'd been played; she hadn't achieved a victory at all. Not completely. In trying to keep from being Rumpelstiltskin's pawn, she had inadvertently become one and there was no getting out of it.

She realized she was dealing with a puppet master of significant proportions.

Rumpelstiltskin walked past her with the towels in hand, "Congratulations."


	10. True North

The morning that Emma left to the store because she got a call that Henry shoplifted, Snow simply thought he was acting out again. He was under Regina's control with absolutely no one but Emma, Archie, and her Mary Margaret…but they weren't enough yet to stop the abuse.

At least not yet.

She expected her daughter to bring Henry to the house and they could have a bit of a talk. She never expected Emma to bring home a couple of children from the school and tell her they had no home.

Snow quickly made them a big lunch; she had no idea when they last ate a decent meal. They looked so thin and were almost filthy. Snow wondered how they had survived by themselves for 28 years; did the curse just…give them everything they needed to survive?"

Emma made sure they were eating before she finally pulled herself away. There was something defiant in her eyes when Snow got her by herself. Snow wasn't surprised at all, she knew as soon as Emma had told her that she'd sympathized with their plight.

"Do you know them?" Emma asked, "Do they go to your school?"

"I've seen them," Snow told her. If she remembered correctly, they were a year above her class, "But…I had no idea. None of us did."

They would have to be ignorant to the children's ordeal. Snow wondered what they'd done to anger Regina so that she forced them into this.

Emma gave her a file, "Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. They said their mother was a woman named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago. No one seems to know her or remember her."

These kids thought they'd been surviving on their own for years? Well, they had of course, but it did seem like the curse replenished what they needed. They thought they'd scraped by.

Probably a lot like Emma.

"And the father?" she asked.

"There isn't one. At least not one that they know."

Snow had to ask the next question, she didn't want to be held accountable if Regina found out that Emma was harboring two homeless children here, "What do Social services say?"

Emma was quiet.

"You…didn't report them," Snow noted.

"I report them, I can't help them," Emma said quickly, "They go into the system."

Snow tried to remember what Mary knew about the system. She knew it was flawed…and that it was hit or miss, "The system that's supposed to help."

"Yeah," Emma said with bitterness in her voice, "The system I knew and was in for sixteen years. Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket – nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts all over again."

Snow felt her insides twist as she heard her daughter give her the layout of her childhood. She grew up unwanted and unloved because no one wanted to make the sacrifices that would come with actually raising another human being.

But she WAS wanted and loved and sometimes it felt like it was far too late to bond.

"But they're not all like that," she told her daughter.

"All the ones I was in," Emma said.

All.

Snow looked back to the kids, "What? You want me to adopt them?"

"Just watch over them for a while?"

"Define 'a while'"

Emma was quiet.

"We're not foster parents," she told her, "And do you really want Elias to be near kids?

Emma stopped. The tension between her and Rumpelstiltskin had NOT decreased since the election. It was always tense when they were in the same room. Snow felt like she was being pulled in two between the shared biting comments. Rumpelstiltskin believed he did what he had to do. Emma couldn't believe Snow was still staying with him after what he'd nearly done to her.

Emma didn't understand how much Snow needed this mutually beneficial arrangement to work.

"Can't you just watch them for a bit?" Emma asked, "I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not know they exist."

Which probably meant they were close in the Enchanted Forest.

"And you'll think if he knows, he'll want them?"

"I don't know. But what I do know is its hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. It's their best shot, or-."

"We're going to be separated?"

Emma turned at the sound of the voice. Ava stood behind them. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"No," Emma told her gently, "That's not going to happen."

"Please," Ava whispered, "Please don't let it."

"I won't," Emma promised, "Just give me time."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow waited until Emma was gone before she left the room and made the phone call.

"Yes dear?" Rumpelstiltskin said as soon as he picked up.

Snow rolled her eyes at the endearing term, "Hey…um…we may have a bit of a problem. Nothing alarming…nothing that links back to us but….Emma found two homeless kids."

"There are homeless kids here?"

"You didn't know?"

"I assure you that if I knew there were homeless children, I would make arrangements." 

"Well…do you know who they are?"

"Two children that angered Regina to the point where she didn't give them stability doesn't exactly tell me anything to identify them, dear."

"Um…they're twins."

"Identical?" 

"No, most definitely not. The girl is taller and blonde, the boy is dark headed…um…they claim their mother died but they don't know their father." 

"Which means he's probably the more important one in their lives," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"That's what I thought."

He sighed, "I think I might have an inclination of who they might be."

"Who?"

"Have you ever wondered how your dear stepmother got ahold of the apple that she used to poison you all those years ago?"

"I thought it was one of hers that she poisoned."

"Indeed not, it was a special apple. One that could be enchanted. Another witch had it and Regina could not get in to get it. So, she sent child after child to fetch it."

"Why don't I think this story might end well?"

"The house was made of candy and the witch was a cannibal."

Snow closed her eyes, "And since they're alive and I was forced to poison myself…they were the ones that succeeded."

"She offered them a place in her palace, they refused. She sent them to the infinite forest. In order to get them to do what she wanted, she had taken their father hostage and told them she'd help them find him."

"And they spent…that time in the infinite forest."

"Until the curse was cast and Regina wanted revenge against all those that slighted her."

Snow sighed, "Even children."

"Even children."

"Do you know where the father is?"

"Yes, he's here too."

"Emma's looking for him."

"If she stops by, I'll send her in his direction."

"Thank you," Snow asked, "Don't ask a big price."

"I won't. She might shoot me."

Snow gave a quiet, "Hmm,"

"Something else, dear?"

"What if we watched them? I-I mean, took care of them?" 

"And send Regina on the warpath?"

"She couldn't link it to us knowing who we were. Mary Margaret is compassionate and would open her heart to anyone that needed help."

"I'm not talking about us knowing our identities, dear. We are her most hated enemies. Emma is quickly rising above the ranks. What do you think will happen to those kids if she's also angry at them as well and we take them in?"

"We can't let them cross the border though; Emma might have to take them to a foster home."

"That won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"Snow, what happened to your faith?" 

"It's been a bit shaky since I woke up here," Snow whispered.

"Well, perhaps we should find a way to restore it then."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin set about dusting the shop. If Emma was going to come here, he didn't want her to think he let things go. Her mother lived with him and he really wanted to get back on Emma's good side.

She wasn't as useful if she was dragging her feet when he called in his favor of finding Bae.

She came into the shop when he was about done, thankfully. Where all this dust constantly came from, he didn't know. Must've been the curse. The castle never got this dusty.

Of course the castle was enchanted as well.

"Emma," he greeted as she walked in, "How lovely to see you."

Emma looked like she'd rather bolt than be here.

"I'm flattered you'd take time off your busy schedule for me," he leaned across the counter and gave her an enigmatic smile, "What can I do for you, Sheriff?"

"I'm looking for information on this old compass," Emma put it on the counter, "Any idea where it could have come from."

He picked it up and examined it, "Well, well. Look at the detail."

He dug into his Mr. Gold memories. The man had odd tastes in what he liked to learn about. He had a passion, like Rumpelstiltskin, for antiquities such as this."

Gods, they didn't make compasses like this here.

"You know," he pointed to the cracked face, "This is crystal. This jeweled setting…in despite the rather unfortunate shape it's in, this is actually a very unusual piece. The person who owned this obviously had great taste."

Emma held his gaze, "And where would someone like that buy it?"

He pressed his finger against the display case, "Right here of course."

"You know him?" Emma asked.

"Indeed," he looked down at the compass, "A piece like this is difficult to forget."

"Do you happen to remember who bought it?"

"Well," he started walking to his records, "I'm good with names, Miss Swan, but maybe not that good."

Lie.

"However, as luck would have it, I do keep quite extensive records."

He made a show of looking through the small filing cabinet on the counter. He located a blank card that would do and pulled it out. He started to pretend to hand it to her, but then withdrew it, licked his lips, and smiled at her.

Emma gave him a wry smile back, "What's your price?"

"Forgiveness."

"How about tolerance?" Emma offered. 

"Well, that's a start," he accepted the offer, "The compass was purchased by a Mr. Michael Tillman."

"Anything else?"

Well, he could give her an address, being the landlord and all but he didn't see any point in doing her entire job for her, "Just a name. But I generally find that's all that one needs."

Emma turned to leave.

He smirked and put the card back, "Good luck with your investigation."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow really wished that she could see Rumpelstiltskin's face when he came home and found that the two children were in fact staying here for the time being until Emma could get everything coordinated to meet their father.

Henry was the third addition to their little family unit; he came as they were baking.

"Does Regina know you're here?" Snow asked as he walked in.

"She doesn't care about where I am unless it's with Emma and that makes her mad," he walked in with the book, "I know who they are?"

"Oh really?" she played along, "And whose that?"

"Hansel and Gretel."

"Well, it appears everyone is in that book," Snow muttered.

"Yeah, you should know, you gave it to me."

"Well, that doesn't' mean I read it," she told him, "Where's Emma?"

Henry shrugged, "I thought I'd come to see them and make sure they were okay. Make sure my mom didn't do anything."

"Well, they're fine," Snow told him and walked him to the room.

"Do you think their dad will want them?"

"We'll see," Snow told him, "Maybe."

"Emma told me about my dad," he told her, "She told me this morning."

"Really?" Snow asked and her curiosity was piqued, "What did she say?" 

"She said he was a hero…and a fireman and he died protecting people."

Snow smiled. With Emma's childhood and losses and abandonment, Snow was at least happy to know that her baby had some time of comfort and happiness.

Henry rushed over to help Hansel and Gretel, Snow watched them interact. She'd always wanted to know about Henry's father but the opportunity to ask never came up.

Her phone rang; she answered it, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Emma said on the other line, "I need you to come outside right away."

"Is everything okay?" Snow asked.

"Don't say anything in front of the kids," Emma sounded completely defeated, "But no, it's not."

"Henry," Snow walked to the front, "I have to get something from the car."

She met Emma outside the house.

"He doesn't want the kids," Emma said.

Snow felt her heart break as she saw the grief in Emma's eyes. Unwanted; just like she thought she was.

"And you don't want to tell them."

"I can't. Because all I'll be telling them is that the false hope I gave them is exactly that."

Emma saw her daughter's distress, "The truth can be painful, Emma, but it can also be cathartic."

"I agree with the painful part," Emma muttered.

"Well, hey, look – you told Henry the truth that his father's dead and he's handling it great."

Emma shrunk under her mother's gaze, "I didn't tell him the truth."

Snow blinked, "What?" 

"Henry's father was no hero and trust me – he does not need to know the real story."

So that was it. Her son's father had hurt her…probably because Emma was so neglected and abandoned that she would latch onto the first man who showed her attention.

"Maybe we can hide the kids," Emma offered, "Just until we can find a family for them. Someone to take care of them."

Snow couldn't let Emma risk her own career and authority on something stupid like that, which might count as an incarcerating offense, Snow wasn't sure, "Yes, hiding the twelve year olds is a good plan!"

"You have a better idea?"

"Emma, maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have to-"

Snow was about to tell her to show them to their father when Regina walked up, "Sheriff, shouldn't you be on the interstate?"

"What are you doing here?" Emma demanded.

"Seeing to it that you do your job."

"You know, you don't have to check up on me. I know what I have to do."

"Really? Because those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight," Regina stared her down, "See that it's done, Sheriff. I wouldn't want to think you're so emotional that you're ill equipped for your job."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"We have to stop her," Snow told Rumpelstiltskin when he came home that evening.

"How, dear? She has Regina breathing down her back now. She can't stop without landing herself in a mess of trouble."

"In just a few moments, those kids are going to be taken over the border!" 

"Yes, I know." 

"What happens if someone goes over the border?"

"Nothing good," he took a large gulp of the brandy.

Snow grabbed a glass and poured herself a double, "We're letting children get hurt to keep our cover."

"Your daughter might still come through."

"I don't see how. What's going to happen? The car breaks down before she reaches the border? She finds a way to hide them?"

"You must have faith."

"I'm going to call her."

"Snow!"

"Children's lives are at stake!"

"That never bothered you when you let Regina go back to her castle in exile."

Snow bit back an angry retort, "That was a mistake that I regret every day, but I'm not going to make the same mistake again."

"And what are you going to tell her?"

"The truth if it means those children survive."

"You'd throw away everything we're working for?" 

"For children, yes, the reason they got in the mess they were in was because of me."

"It was because a woman couldn't blame the right person for her boyfriend's murder."

The phone was busy, Snow cursed and hung up.

"Snow…"

"Everything is wrong!" Snow snapped and threw the phone against the wall, "My baby thinks no one's ever loved her and she grew up alone. Her son's father was someone she had to lie to Henry about! A man that saved my life is dead! My husband…isn't my husband, he's someone else's and two children could very possibly die. It's just….wrong."

Snow felt her legs give out from under her and she collapsed, "My mother always told me that being good would get me my happy ending…that showing mercy would- but is this a happy ending? Is this what showing mercy gets?"

Rumpelstiltskin sat on a chair, "your story isn't over yet. One day this curse will break-."

"That won't undo the damage," Snow sobbed, "That won't make the lost 28 years with my daughter."

"Perhaps it's not too late."

"What would you know about it?"

"Because you're not the only one that's lost a child," he told her.

Snow looked up, "You?"

He grabbed the cane and pulled himself up, "I'm going to go to the shop."

Snow scrambled up, "Wait….you have a child?"

"It's not something I wish to discuss any further," he said, "Just know that it's not too late. If it's not too late for me, then it definitely isn't for you."

He walked out and left a dumbfounded Snow alone in the house.

Snow's phone was broken on the floor. She couldn't call Emma.

Her stomach was in knots, as she did some laundry in order to get her mind off what might be happening.

It didn't work.

She was folding clothes when Emma walked in. Her face wasn't upset…or angry, that told Snow that they at least didn't die.

"Hey, what happened?"

"Their dad," Emma threw some folded clothes on the table and plopped over, "He showed up. Changed his mind."

"Changed his mind?" Snow started shaking in relief, "Just like that?"

"He might have had a little nudge," Emma admitted with a smile.

"They found their father," Snow smiled, "That's great."

Emma crossed her legs, "I wonder what that would be like?"

Snow stopped and she gave her daughter a warm smile, "Maybe you'll find out."

Emma scoffed.

"You can't give up," Snow encouraged her. Especially now.

"I don't know. I kind of think giving up might be the best plan. I think I need to let go."

"No you don't!" Snow said quickly.

"Really? If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look."

Snow lowered her eyes, that ever present guilt weighed more heavily on her, "Maybe. But maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there is an explanation."

"If there is, it's something crazy," Emma said, "Something even crazier than Henry's theory."

"Yeah?" Snow folded some more clothes, "What's Henry's theory?"

He had told her of course, but she wanted to make sure Emma told it to her as well. That way she could at least say she heard it from both sides. And she needed to know Emma's take on what thought.

"Well, that my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them."

"Aw," Snow smiled, "And who does he think they are?"

"Well, for one, you."

"Me?" She tried to feign amusement and surprise.

"Well, Snow White.

"Snow White has a kid," she nodded. Sounded about right.

"Apparently that book you gave him? Not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense."

Snow smiled at her own private joke, "I have a kid. You'd think I'd remember that."

"Yeah, you'd think," Emma muttered obliviously.

Snow leaned forward, "You do kind of have my chin."

Emma smiled, and there was a victorious look in her eyes, "I think I need to go get some air."

Snow started to follow her towards the door.

"I'm going to go think."

"If you're going to be back later, I can wait to eat with you."

"No," Emma shook her head, "Don't' do that."

She didn't want Snow to push her. Snow backed off, "I'll leave you leftovers."

"Okay."

Snow saw something hanging from a box. Her eyes widened. No…surely the blanket hadn't survived after all these years? How had she been able to hold onto it?

"What a pretty blanket," she covered when Emma saw she was looking at it.

A small look of longing crossed Emma's face, "Thanks. Goodnight."

She slipped out the door. Snow smelled the blanket, teared up a bit and held it close to her chest.


	11. 7:15 AM

Every morning either Rumpelstiltskin or Snow got up to make breakfast. Rumpelstiltskin thought they made a very filling breakfast of eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon…occasionally pancakes if they didn't have the time to make everything else…it was more than what Rumpelstiltskin ever had when he was a peasant in the village.

'Emma the Heathen' as Rumpelstiltskin had fondly come to mentally name her preferred cereal.

She was already hunched over eating it as Snow raced down the stairs and scrambled to put her things on, "I can't believe I overslept."

Rumpelstiltskin put his single plate on the table. Emma averted her gaze when he sat across from her. It'd been a couple of weeks and she was still furious at him for that whole 'fire in the town hall' thing.

If she knew what else he was capable of…

"It's only seven-ten," Emma told her, "You've got plenty of time to get to school." 

"No," Snow pulled on her scarf and grabbed her purse, "I have to be there at seven fifteen – science fair. I'm helping the kids with their project before school."

Was that the best lie she could do? Henry could discredit that in a heartbeat.

Emma smiled in amusement, "I'm sure if you're five minutes late, they'll live."

Snow stopped and gave her an exasperated look, "We're making a volcano!"

She raced out the door. Emma gave another amused smile as she watched her leave.

Rumpelstiltskin was NOT anywhere close to feeling what Emma was about the situation. He had warned her about this! What if Regina saw her rushing to the diner?

"She's going to see _him_," Rumpelstiltskin spat out the last word.

Emma's smile fell, and she looked sympathetically at him, "I know."

Rumpelstiltskin lost his appetite; he stood up and grabbed his plate. He didn't need her pity.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000

It was not stalking.

Snow told herself that it wasn't because her husband would want to be with her as opposed to the woman that he was living with. It should be her in that car, not that woman that he never wanted to be married to in the first place.

Well, out of context, it sounded stalkerish.

Snow booked it in record time to the diner and made herself comfortable. She sat facing away from the door so he would see her when he turned around (Otherwise, it would look like she was waiting for him), she threw her book down on the table and used the spoon to check her hair. There wasn't really that much she could do with it. Rumpelstiltskin would balk if she spent longer than him taking care of it and he'd NEVER let her hear the end of it.

Though her short hair was easier to take care of….

Snow stared at the pages of her book and pretended she was reading as the door opened behind her.

7:15, without fail.

She watched him greet Ruby and order his coffee. Gods, she missed him so much. She missed the way he looked at her…and the way he smiled at her. She missed the way he held her and listened…

None of that felt right here. It wasn't the same. She even missed that stupid snore that he did that used to keep her up. Rumpelstiltskin slept on the couch on his back and never snored.

"Good morning."

Snow felt her heart hammer in her chest as she realized the husband that she was supposed to be married to was now looking at her. All mental functions stopped and she managed a beaming smile, "Morning!"

Gods, she felt like a lovesick teenager with a crush.

"I-I ….I should go. I'm going to be late for work," David looked to the door.

"Oh," Snow pretended she was trying to remember, "The animal shelter, right? How's that going?"

"Well, the apes haven't taken over."

Snow could practically hear Rumpelstiltskin saying that the only reason that hadn't happened yet was because David lacked the will or ambition to do so. She pushed his voice to the back of her mind, "Yet."

"Not on my watch."

It was a bad joke, but she laughed anyway. She hadn't seen him since the election, it was good to see his face and hear his voice.

Even if it wasn't the same.

Snow watched and felt her spirits sink as David handed a coffee to his wife waiting in the car and kissed her cheek.

"This is making a volcano?"

Snow looked at her daughter. Didn't Granny ever LOCK that back door?

"I was-," she struggled for something to say.

"I get it."

Snow realized there was no justification that she could use that Emma would buy, "He comes here every morning at seven fifteen a.m. to get coffee."

"For him and his wife," Emma gently reminded her.

"I know, I know, I know," Snow said and looked back, "I just like to…come here to see him."

"So, you're a stalker?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, not really," Snow faltered, "Maybe a little bit. I mean, it's not like I'm following him. I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets coffee, then drives to the animal shelter to start work at seven thirty and then he's home around five."

Gods, she walked right into that one.

Emma let a minute pass so Snow could realize just how desperate that sounded, "Oh, is that all?"

"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner," she finished. If she was going to look insane, might as well go all out, "I just can't get him out of my head."

"I know," Emma said in a way that told her she was speaking from personal experience, "Maybe the first step is not showing up here tomorrow."

It would be better; he would be safer that way.

But she just wanted to see him

"Maybe," Snow looked over her shoulder and watched him drive away.

"Work things out with your husband," Emma encouraged her, "Avoiding those problems by looking at someone else that's already married and already choose his wife is just going to cause you nothing but problems."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow walked from aisle to aisle and loaded up the hand basket that was in one hand and held the phone with the other. Jefferson chatted to her about all the gossip going on in the town and what he'd seen through his telescope.

Snow didn't mind. Jefferson wanted someone to talk to; she was the person that offered that.

Snow saw some large chocolate Apollo bars, "Hey."

"Darn it, Snow, I'm telling you about what embarrassing things Regina does when she's sleeping!"

"You want some candy?"

"Like what sort of candy?"

"I'm staring at Apollo bars."

"Get me some! I'll pay you back!"

"How many?"

"All of them." 

"I'm not giving you all of them."

"I'll pay you back."

"I'll get you two," Snow put them next to her two, "Chocolate isn't good for your teeth."

"Not aging for 28 years and knowing what's going on isn't good for my mentality, I think I've earned the chocolate."

"If you want all of them, come to town and get them yourself." She told him.

As they were snarking at each other, Snow circled the aisle and accidently ran face first into someone. Both dropped their things, Snow bent down and started collecting the things on the floor, "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," Snow realized she'd walked right into her husband's fake wife, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"I wasn't looking," she whispered.

Regina had been standing next to Kathryn and watched both of them without bothering to help, "Clearly."

Kathryn picked up the chocolate, "Oh, is this yours?"

"Um, yes, thank you," She picked up a small box without looking at it, "Um, this must…."

She looked down and felt her blood run cold. A pregnancy test.

Regina was watching her; she had to not freak out.

Kathryn was pregnant?

With David's baby? 

What did that mean? Was Emma going to have a half sibling? What would it mean for that child if it was born in the middle of all this?

Snow stuttered and tried to find something to say, "G-good luck?"

Kathryn gave her a genuine smile, "Thank you."

Kathryn checked to make sure she had everything and left. Snow felt her legs shaking as she stood up. She couldn't give anything away…not in front of Regina.

Regina leaned forward, "I trust you'll be discrete? Their lives are their business – not yours." 

Snow felt herself shaking. This was what Regina wanted, anything that might set Snow and Charming back, she wanted.

Snow found her phone under the aisle and picked it up.

"Snow? Snow?!"

"Jefferson," she said a bit more quietly.

"Snow!" he said in relief, "Are you okay? What happened?" 

"Can you use some company?" 

"You know I would."

"I'm coming over," she hung up.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

"She's pregnant?"

Snow kept her hands clenched in tight balls in her pockets, "Maybe. A test is a test, there's no way of knowing."

"But she MIGHT be pregnant?" Jefferson asked.

"Is it possible?"

"Why are you asking me for? Ask Rumpelstiltskin…." He caught himself, "Oh wait, that might be awkward; asking your fake husband if your real husband can knock up his fake wife."

Snow scowled, "Jefferson, this isn't funny!"

"Who said I'm joking? That's the situation you're looking at." 

"Don't say it like that."

"Listen Snow, I've looked through the telescope a hundred times a day for 28 years and have nearly gotten an eyeful because people don't close their shades," He gave a pointed look to her, "The curse is weakening…there's no reason conception would be impossible if we're aging again.

Snow stared ahead at the road they were walking down, "What if she is?"

"Could you love that child?"

"Yeah. I at least know everything a stepmother isn't SUPPOSED to do. It's just…helping to raise another baby when I never got the chance to raise my own? I mean, what would that mean? How would Emma take it? It's not fair to her, none of this is fair to her and she'd have to see a half sibling get raised in love that she never got growing up. "

"Well, if she wants good memories, there's no reason why she can't just make her own. It's not too late for bonding, it can't be."

Snow heard something down the incline and stopped.

"Snow?"

"Sh!" she heard something that sounded like a bird cooing. She walked off the road and found a dove trapped in some plastic netting.

"Oh hey." She whispered and carefully freed the dove, "How did you manage to get yourself…come on – it's going to be okay."

"How on earth did you hear that?" Jefferson asked and held out his hand.

Snow grabbed it and with his assistance climbed up on the road.

"I don't know…I've just always had…this thing with birds."

"So, I'm guessing that'll be a 'no' for using it for dinner, then?"

Snow kicked him. Not hard but hard enough for him get his answer.

"Ow!"

"I'm taking it to the shelter!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000

There wasn't a line at the animal shelter, they could see the dove immediately. Snow was surprised that Regina thought far enough ahead to bring pets.

The vet looked the dove over, "Well, the good news is; no broken bones. She was just a little dehydrated, but I got her some fluids so she should be fine." 

Good news always came with something opposite, "And the bad news?"

"Well, this is a north Atlantic dove. It's a migratory species. Very unique among American doves. They tend to form strong, monogamous bonds, meaning-."

"If we don't get her back to her flock, she'll be alone forever," Snow whispered. How very symbolic of what she was going through right now. Or at least felt like she was going through….

"Well, it's a long shot, but the alternative," the vet put her in the cage that he had David fetch. David hung around, Snow tried to ignore him because it was…just too painful right now, "She'll heal, but she won't be happy here."

Snow had to let her go before that bad storm came, "I'll take my chances. Thank you, doctor."

"You're welcome. Good luck."

Snow turned to the door.

David followed her, "Mary Margaret, there's a storm coming. You shouldn't go out there."

"Well, the storm's coming tomorrow," Snow told him. Everyone in the little family of theirs was looking forward to a nice relaxing day indoors where it was warm. She had to get this bird free before the rain drove all the other animals to seek shelter or find warmer places, "If I wait, she could be lost forever. Completely alone. No one deserves that." 

She tried to brush past him.

"Then let me drive you." 

"I don't need your help, David," Snow snapped, "I'll be fine."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Jefferson was a lot of things, Snow had found out; musician, artist, gardener, sarcastic protector, and eccentric dresser…

He was not, however, a bird watcher. And so Snow realized she'd have to find some random place to set this dove loose and hope for the best.

There was the cabin in the middle of the woods; Snow drove the dove until she came up on the 'road closed' sign that was always there. When Snow and Rumpelstiltskin were cursed, they'd come up to this cabin…but the road that led to the cabin took longer to get to, this way was shorter.

The clouds were gathering, it was getting colder…that storm wasn't waiting for tomorrow. She at least hoped Rumpelstiltskin and Emma were going to make it home before it hit.

"Well," she whispered to the dove, "The flock can't be much farther. We just have to beat the storm. They're waiting for you." 

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Snow didn't realize how long this 'shortcut' actually was. It wasn't until she was walking that she realized she'd never actually GONE this way, she just knew it was there.

The storm was getting closer; Snow didn't have a lot of time.

She found the small road that led to the cabin and started walking down it; it led to a sharp cliff if she wasn't careful. But she could see things clearly; she could almost see the forest.

She heard the cooing nearby. Somewhere down the cliff.

"Do you hear that?" she asked the dove, "Your flock!"

She strained to look in the direction of the noise.

A loud clap of thunder startled her. Snow jumped and the mud she was standing in gave way. Before she knew it she slammed into the ground and rolled down the incline.

And then she was falling freely.

Snow felt her stomach fly up to her throat and she grabbed a branch. She slammed against the cliff wall and looked down.

It was really far down…and her grip was slipping…

_Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!_

She tried to climb up the branch…but the weight made the branch start to splinter, and Snow fell even further down.

There were footsteps above her. Snow looked up expecting to see Jefferson.

David appeared, "Here!" 

"David!" Snow said in shock and relief.

He held his out his, "Grab my hand!"

She grabbed it. His strong hand closed on hers and he pulled her up, "Hold tight, come on."

He pulled her up. Snow pulled herself on the incline and drew in some terrified breaths. Her whole body was shaking, she wasn't sure she could hold herself up.

David looked at her, "You'd really think I'd let you come out here alone? You okay?"

Snow pulled herself up, "I'm fine, thanks."

She raced up the incline when she felt the water droplets start to hit her face. It was pouring when she got back on the road, "No!"

"Doing this on foot is not the best plan!"

"The gate was closed!"

"I know. I saw," he tried to pull her away, "It's too late – we have to go!"

"No," she turned back around, "But the fl-."

"Mary Margaret, it's not safe!" he pointed to the place that she fell, "We need to get out of here! Come on!"

He pulled her towards the cabin, Snow gave up, the rain was freezing, she wanted to get out of it as soon as possible.

0000000000000000000000000000000

"There!"

Snow was shaking so hard that her teeth were chattering. The temperature was dropping and it was so very cold outside.

David pulled her to stand under the patio roof. The bird wasn't doing any better than Snow was. She watched as David looked in through the window, "It's ours David, it's empty."

He kicked in the door and ushered Snow in. She set the bird down and watched as he got a fire going.

Every weekend she and Rumpelstiltskin spent here in their cursed lives…every weekend they'd make love on the couch and then go to the bed in the other room.

She shivered, and that time it wasn't from the cold.

David wrapped a blanket around her, "Okay, let's get you dry."

She shrugged it off and stepped closer to the fire, "Don't."

"Hey, I'm just…I'm trying to help. What's going on with you today?" 

"What's going on? What's going on is that I still have feelings for you."

David stared at her, "What?"

She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to but she knew it was insane and he'd never believe her. However, with him being here by himself, it was almost too tempting, "Why do you think I go to Granny's every morning at seven fifteen? It's to see you. I don't even know why, because it makes me miserable. Because every time I see you, it just reminds me that you chose Kathryn instead of me. And that's why I didn't want you to come to the woods with me. Because being around you is too…it's too painful."

David broke into a smile.

Snow felt hurt, "You think this is funny!"

"No, no," he told her quickly, "It's just…the reason I go to Granny's every morning at seven fifteen is to see you!"

He kissed her. Snow let him for a brief moment…just to feel her husband again…

But he didn't kiss like Charming…he didn't feel like him.

Snow pulled away and backed up; she needed to get some distance, "How can you do this?"

"What are you talking about?" 

Snow scoffed, "David, I know."

"You know what?"

Snow didn't want to play this game, "About Kathryn."

"What about Kathryn?"

Oh, was there something else that she should know about? "That she thinks she's pregnant!"

David looked like she'd punched him, "What?"

They stared at each other as the rain pounded outside; Snow wasn't sure how long it'd taken, "You didn't know."

"No."

Snow felt a little bit hopeful, "And you two aren't trying?"

"Not as far as I know."

That should give Snow relief, but 'we're not trying' could mean several things. They might not be sleeping together at all or they might be and he was trying to be careful.

"Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. I-."

Snow realized that it was too quiet. The rain had stopped.

"Shh," she told him, "The rain's stopped. We need to get her out."

She grabbed the cage and walked outside. She was still cold and she was still shivering…and the temperature hadn't risen any. Snow needed to get home and get out of her clothes and slip into a hot bath.

"Mary Margaret," David followed her, "Please. Can we at least talk-."

"Shh!" Snow whispered again. She didn't know why she was obsessed with this…probably because she saw her own self in what this dove might go through, "Listen!"

They heard a cooing noise; Snow looked up and saw several doves.

"The flock," she said triumphantly, "It didn't leave!"

David stared up as well, "They must've been waiting for the storm to clear." 

Snow lifted the dove out of the cage, "Okay. Okay, girl. Time to join your friends. You can do it."

She realized the dove and watched as it flew off to join its flock.

David grabbed Snow's hand. Snow snatched it away. She couldn't…any chance or hope of his attention was gone for now. David Nolan would never leave Kathryn if he thought she was pregnant. She'd have to wait until the curse broke and gods knew the sort of drama this would invoke, "No David. It's too painful."

"It doesn't have to be. We don't know if Kathryn's pregnant."

No, Snow couldn't set herself up for false hope like that. She did when he told her he was going to leave with her. And if the curse was meant to partially make her unhappy then he'd always choose Kathryn, "It doesn't matter. You chose her."

"I know, but I still have feelings for you."

Snow shook her head, "You can't have both."

"But I do have both," he said and that declaration made her sick to her stomach. He couldn't have her if he had Kathryn. Just like he couldn't have Kathryn if he had her. What was he thinking? That they'd be okay with sharing? "I know…I know it doesn't make sense, but it's like I have these two conflicting lives. Memories of feelings for her, and real feelings for you."

"Who's to say which is real?" Snow asked sarcastically.

"I can't get you out of my head."

"I know," Snow allowed, "Me too. But we're going to have to. We're just going to…have to forget each other."

She walked past him.

"Mary Margaret!" he called.

Snow looked back, "You can't have both!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000 

Snow was already curled up in the bed when Rumpelstiltskin came into the room that night. She kept her eyes closed and made sure her back was facing him.

"It's still storming out."

"They say it'll carry on until the morning," she stared at the wall.

He lay the bedding down on the couch, "Your daughter is asleep. Apparently they weren't prepared for the early stages of the storm today and she was running all over. She just got in an hour ago."

"Oh."

He sat on the couch and gave a sigh, "And how was your day, dear?" 

Snow closed her eyes to fight the tears, "Oh, you know…curse stuff."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow sat at the dining room table and stared at the ticking clock. Emma was sitting across from her; Rumpelstiltskin was sitting on her right. She'd eaten some of her breakfast, but not much. Emma had apparently given up on cereal and desired a warmer meal to start her morning; she was eating what Rumpelstiltskin cooked. He thought it was a truce, Snow figured that Emma was just hungry.

The clock hit 7:15. Rumpelstiltskin noticed it and squeezed her leg under the table as a means of comfort that only they understood. Emma was more forward. She looked over her shoulder to see what time it was and when she realized that Snow was staying later than usual; she reached over and took her mother's hand.

Gods, they were such an odd little family.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow waited thirty minutes before she summoned the courage to go to the diner to get her coffee

"Bit later than usual," Ruby told her.

"Yeah, new schedule," Snow took a sip, "Thanks Ruby."

She went to leave.

David was standing in the entrance.

A beat passed as they stared at the other. Without a word he turned and left.

No, he went to get his coffee at 7:15! This was HER time to get her drink.

She followed him out, "What are you doing here?"

"It's seven forty-five!" he snapped.

"I know!"

"I'm trying not to see you."

"Well," She searched for the right words to say, "I'm trying not to see you!"

David looked defeated, "How do we stop seeing each other?"

Snow closed her eyes.

_ I will always find you _

"Apparently, we can't," she whispered. It would always be destiny; they would always find each other even when it hurt.

"This is a problem," David muttered.

"Yes."

A second passed.

David drew a breath, "She's not pregnant."

Snow let that sink in.

She wasn't pregnant.

Kathryn wasn't pregnant.

Snow rushed for him and slammed her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest.

This was stupid, this was risky. Kathryn was friends with Regina. If she found out…

But they could hide it…they could be smart.

Snow needed this…for now, it was good enough.


	12. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

It wasn't an affair if she was never willingly involved with Rumpelstiltskin and it was her husband that she was with. That's the justification that Snow used when she and David started sneaking around together.

It couldn't be an affair, she wasn't cheating.

Snow was being rash about it but she was being careful at the same time. It was tempting to pretend that this was her husband and take things as far as David wanted to take them...but she also knew that it wasn't him. This was David Nolan not David the Prince.

So, she kissed him…in a very unprinccesslike fashion and she hugged him and there was a lot of caressing going on but she didn't sleep with him. It wasn't David. She didn't want 28 years of being separated from him being ruined because she couldn't wait.

No one knew, Snow made sure to be careful, she brought David to the house when no one was home and made sure he came in through the back. Rumpelstiltskin might understand but he would also tell her to be cautious. Snow didn't want to be cautious, caution wasn't getting her anything! The curse wasn't any weaker than it was when Charming woke up. Emma wasn't any closer to believing, she still thought that Henry's beliefs were based off Henry's silly stories.

But that didn't stop Emma from bonding with Henry. She was genuinely coming to love her son if she wasn't there already. Their small moments they could steal away together were valued by Emma…and that was about to be ruined now that Regina found their meeting place; the small castle playground by the sea. Snow listened patiently as Emma ranted about how Regina wanted to tear it down.

"Don't let my feelings cloud my judgment?" Emma imitated, "That's all Regina ever does."

Snow took a sip of her cocoa, "Well, she's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she….she doesn't."

Jealousy was so ugly.

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?"

"You're spending time with Henry, don't you think she'd scope out where you went?" Snow asked and looked at her phone when a text came up, "She knows everything about the town, she's the mayor."

The text was from David; _we need to talk. Meet at our spot. _

Snow felt a pang of fear. Was something wrong? Was Kathryn pregnant after all? Did Regina know? 

Emma studied her reaction, "Everything okay?" 

"Yeah," she started to stand, "I just need to go. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry." 

And everyone here.

"I wish everyone else did, too," Emma muttered.

"They will," Snow promised, "Just give it time."

She tensed as she passed Sidney going the opposite way. She didn't look behind her to see. Regina's favorite spy and her father's murderer. He had ruined many a plan after he became the man in the mirror.

But she didn't have time to make sure he WASN'T sitting close to her daughter, she needed to get to the bridge.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Snow found David waiting for her at the bridge where he woke up. The relief was short lived, he looked like he was in one piece but any number of other things could've gone wrong.

"David, I got your text, what's going on?" 

David grabbed her hand and looked around, "Follow me." 

He led her further into the forest and Snow felt her heart hammering, was he worried that he'd been followed? Had Regina found out about them?

"David, you're scaring me, what's wrong?" 

"What's wrong is you're late," he told her with a smile and pulled her to the clearing, "And the wine's getting warm."

Snow suddenly felt like an idiot when she saw the picnic he'd set out for them. She smiled and gave him a mischievous look. There was still some of David in there somewhere…the romantic that she married.

They were still safe for now.

She kissed him, "We have to stop doing this."

"We just _started _doing this," David almost whined.

Snow knew it wasn't cheating, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but as she stood there, she felt so guilty, "We have to figure out what we're doing."

"We will," he promised, "Tomorrow."

But then again, Snow had been separated from Charming so many times; she'd take what she could get. There was nothing wrong with this. Being together meant they could help weaken the curse too, "Okay. Tomorrow."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000

It wasn't wrong, but Snow still wanted to talk to Emma about it. She wanted to see what she thought. Emma had hinted before that there had been a married man in her life, Snow wanted to know what she should do.

Of course she already knew what Emma would say and she might ignore it.

But somehow…she wanted Emma to know what was going on.

"Emma," Snow ran into her house and into the living room when she saw that her daughter's bug was parked in the driveway, "Emma, there's something I'd like to talk to you about-."

She stopped when she saw who was here. Sidney Glass. Emma brought him into their house and they were surrounded by boxes.

Snow felt her stomach roll but she swallowed the rising bile as she stared down the man that Regina used to kill her father, "Hi Sidney."

"Hey," Emma said obliviously. Why did she trust such an obvious puppet of Regina? "We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina."

"Interesting work," Snow said quickly so she didn't have to stand there, "Well, I approve."

She rushed to the kitchen and started making some hot cocoa to settle her nerves that this man was in her house.

"Let's get a warrant," Sidney suggested.

"And what judge are we going to find that she doesn't own? We're screwed."

Regina owned the man that Emma was trusting, how could Emma be so blind?

"Or there's my way."

"I want to do this right, Sidney." 

"Well, what's right is exposing her. Sometimes doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?"

Snow looked up, "Not usually."

Yeah, she might be a hypocrite for saying so but she knew exactly what Sidney was trying to do.

"Look what she's done to you, to me, to your son," Sidney turned to Emma, "I mean, she's not going to stop, so whatever you do, you've got to do something."

"Fine," Emma said, "We'll start by talking to her."

"Emma," Snow started, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" 

Emma walked into the kitchen, "What's up?"

"You can't trust him," Snow nodded to Sidney.

"Regina fired him; maybe he's seeing the light." 

"Emma, he has been her puppet for years." 

"Yeah, a puppet that had a job," Emma told her, "And he came to me saying that money's been disappearing and Regina's responsible. Now if I can prove that, I can get a foothold."

"Or they're just playing you." 

"Maybe," Emma said cautiously, "But this is the first advantage I've really gotten against her personally. I can't risk that you're wrong and wait another few months before the next opportunity presents itself. Where will that leave Henry?" 

Snow looked at her daughter, "Where will it leave Henry if I'm right?" 

"I can't take that chance," Emma turned, "This is my kid on the line here. I'm not going to let Regina hurt him to get back at me." 

Snow watched as Emma turned and started to leave.

"So is mine," She whispered and grabbed a mug.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't expecting to come home to a ranting wife. It was cool outside, his leg hurt. He wanted to soak in a tub full of bubbles and go to sleep in warm bed afterwards…not hear the dreadful news that Emma was trusting Sidney Glass of all people.

"He was in our house," Snow hissed, "He murdered my father and Emma let him in." 

"She doesn't know that." 

"The point still stands. If she took off her blinders then she'd realize that he was no good and couldn't be trusted."

"Well dear, you know that and I know that, but you also know the lengths a desperate mother will go to save their child from some sort of danger."

Snow looked down at the fireplace, "I tried to warn her but she wouldn't listen."

"She is at that age," Rumpelstiltskin stretched his leg. He didn't tell Snow that Regina had contacted him about land she wanted to buy and it had to tie into all this. He didn't tell her because he saw this as an opportunity. If Emma got beaten down by Regina, then she'd realize she needed help and who else would she turn to but to him?

The phone rang and he answered it, "Yes?"

"I'll meet you tonight at Access Road Twenty Three with the rest of the payment." 

Gods, was this Regina? Why was she wanting to meet in the middle of nowhere for? He didn't want to get out, he just got home! "Is that cash or check?" 

"Yes, it will all be in cash!" she nearly snapped, "And I don't need to remind you that no one can know about this."

There was absolutely no other reason for Regina to be this cryptic unless she suspected that Emma was listening in.

Or Regina was being a drama queen again, both were possible.

"It has to be tonight then," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I have a city council meeting tomorrow."

"Yes yes, I know it has to be tonight," he heard the irritation in her tone.

He hung up with a smirk.

Snow narrowed her eyes, "You have that look."

"I always have _that look_."

"It's more _that look _than it usually is, I'm not sure if I like it."

"Hush," he kissed her forehead, "Things will all work out, you don't have to be suspicious."

Snow stared at him, "Did you just kiss my forehead?"

"Consider it an affection I have for you," he told her, "Nothing more."

Snow narrowed her eyes, "Don't you dare do anything to hurt Emma."

"Everything I do is to lift Emma up."

"You just do it in the wrong way." 

"Well, everything's wrong if you say it with _that _attitude," he told her as he left.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Rumpelstiltskin didn't know what happened on the way here that had Emma so steamed but he was certain that her unpleasant shouting could wake Maleficent in the mines as he waited for her in the woods

The briefcase was heavy. Regina hadn't been kidding when she said it was all in cash. He'd mocked her a bit, dropped a few hints to get her wound up so she'd leave faster and he could deal with Emma. But then he actually had to wait for Emma and his arm was hurting.

"-I'm going to find out what she's doing and why she's here!"

It wasn't that hard to follow the voice, "She was meeting me."

Both Emma and Sidney Glass turned around to face him. Oh gods, Emma really trusted him. He hadn't doubted Snow, but he had to honestly see this with his own eyes.

Emma, the woman with walls, who was difficult to give her trust to people, was trusting Mr. Sidney Glass."

Oh Emma.

"What are you doing out here with her?" Emma demanded.

He held up the briefcase that he was also certain Regina had packed with rocks as well as money, 'Just a little business transaction."

"What's in the briefcase?" Sidney asked.

"Everything comes at a price," he shrugged, "Land is no different."

"That's why you're meeting her out here?" Emma was at least smart enough to realize something was fishy about this whole thing. She'd probably go about things the wrong way afterwards, "Regina bought your land?"

"The very ground you're standing on," he walked down the incline.

Emma narrowed her eyes, "What does she want it for?"

"You know, in business, I find its best not to ask too many questions. Hurts the bottom line. The question is, Emma –," he gave a pointed look to Sidney, "Why are you standing out here in the middle of the night with Mr. Glass?" 

"You don't know what Regina did to me. You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by-." 

He was really going with that tone, huh?

"Of course you can," Rumpelstiltskin smiled and started to walk past them, "Be careful – emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths."

And that was all he was going to offer Emma. She wouldn't believe him anyway if he warned her any more about Sidney.

If she wouldn't even listen to her own mother, why should she listen to him?

000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sidney being in the house had disturbed Snow far more than Rumpelstiltskin expected. She'd asked him to sleep in the room with her that night and he obliged and took his spot on the couch. They didn't really talk; there was nothing to really speak about. But sometime during the night, he thought he woke up to hear Snow sobbing. He didn't go to comfort her, she would never allow it.

The next day, they dressed for the council. Both were quiet, whatever was going to happen was going to happen today at the city council meeting, there was a reason Regina was so pushy about them meeting last night.

Snow sat next to him at the city council. She was tapping her foot and then her hands. The movement annoyed him, so he took her hand and squeezed it. Snow didn't pull away.

"The session of the Storybrooke city council will come to order," Regina said, "We will begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting." 

Sidney stood up, oh thank Gods, he was going to get this done as soon as possible and spare them that horror, "Uh, excuse me, um, Madam Mayor. I have something I'd like to bring to the council attention."

Regina was good at feigning annoyance, "This is not an open forum, Sidney. And no one on this council's interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced reporter. Now sit down."

Emma stood up with the binder, "He's not the only one who has something to say."

Snow drew in a sharp breath, as soon as Emma finished her sentence. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't say that he knew what it was like to voluntarily sit down and watch their child make a fool of themselves with no way to stop it. He squeezed her hand tighter. She gripped his hand with the other.

"Miss Swan," Regina snapped, "This meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke."

"Like the Mayor stealing thousands of dollars from the city to build herself a second home?"

Everyone started whispering to themselves. Snow looked down and even Rumpelstiltskin cringed for Snow's daughter.

"Miss Swan, you will sit down immediately or so help me-."

"What? You'll punish me?" Emma challenged, "You'll bully me like everyone else in this town? No. Not today. In my hand, I am holding documents proving that this woman, your mayor, stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods. And this disgraced reporter – you want to know why he was really fired? Because he stood up to her. Because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor."

"Oh gods," Rumpelstiltskin said in exasperation, "She thinks she's doing well, isn't she?"

Emma continued, "You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is, you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but yourself. That is who you really are. And it is time for the people of Storybrooke to know that." 

"The people do know that, they're just scared to do anything," Snow whispered.

Regina made sure to measure Emma's words carefully, "You are right, Miss Swan. I am building a house – a playhouse." 

She used one of the remotes to pull up an image of a playground on the screen behind her, "The accusations are true – I did take city funds. I wanted to build a playground so my son, Henry, and all the children of Storybrooke, could have a special place to play. Safely. As for the sketch in your hands, it was inspired by a drawing I found in one of my son's books. So, there you have it, Miss Swan. You've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied."

By the time Regina was done, Snow was squirming and Rumpelstiltskin felt sympathetic to Emma…and Emma just looked like she wanted to crawl under the seat and die.

When the council meeting was over. (Emma sat in the very back and was the first to leave), Snow's hand didn't leave Rumple's as they walked outside, "But I don't understand…she admitted that she stole that money."

"And everyone just watched her tear down the one woman that stands up to her, do you really think they'll do anything about it?" he turned back and saw Emma staring back towards Regina,

This was his chance.

He walked up behind Emma and Sidney, "Look at her – queen of the castle."

Emma cringed at the words.

"You know, what you did in in there was commendable, Miss Swan. But if you really want to bring her down, you're going to need a strong ally.

Emma gave a small smirk, "Like yourself? Thanks but I'm still not interested."

What sort of world was it where Sidney Glass was trusted over him? He gave her one of his enigmatic smiled that she hated, "Oh, one can wish."

Regina was coming over to give Emma a peace of her mind. He wanted to be well clear of the area.

"Wait," Snow whispered as he led her away, "Regina-."

"Regina has Emma right where she wants her. She won't hurt your daughter." 

Snow gave a final look back towards her daughter and followed him to the car. She'd comfort Emma when Emma got home and they could talk alone. '

"Well," Rumpelstiltskin turned the ignition, "Now that that's out of the way, perhaps you can tell me about your little affair you're conducting."


	13. Skin Deep

Snow felt her insides curdle the minute Rumpelstiltskin let her know that he was aware of the affair that she was having with her own husband. She shouldn't feel guilty about what she was doing…but she did feel like she'd done something wrong.

Rumpelstiltskin drove them home. Emma wasn't there yet, she wouldn't hear them yelling at the other.

Snow started in as they got inside, "It's not an affair."

"Kissing him in the middle of the street and sneaking off for your little dates, that's not an affair?"

"He's my husband!"

"Not here. You never married in this world, there's no documentation, therefore there is a good chance that your marriage is NOT legal."

"Well neither is ours! We never willingly made any vows!"

"I never said our marriage had any legal standing either, but you should remember that the man you married is not David Nolan. It may look like him, it may sound like him, you might even see hints of the David that you married, but at the end of the day it isn't him." 

Snow thought she might've heard some hurt in his voice, .like he was genuinely upset that she was actually seeing the husband that she loved, "Why should you care what I do?" 

"Because I'm trying to keep you alive so your little daughter has a mother to wake up to when she actually starts believing and you're not making this any easier for me to do so when you're sneaking off like some teenager doing something wrong!"

"I have to."

"You have to endanger the lives of yourself and Charming? Because that's what you're doing."

Snow brushed past him, "He's my husband."

"He won't be if you carry on like you're doing!"

Snow slammed the door behind him.

Emma was pulling off her coat in the entrance hall. She stared at Snow with wide eyes, "You okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Snow told her gently and moved to the front door, "I'm going for a walk."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow didn't come home for the next two nights, Rumpelstiltskin figured that she probably went to the cabin, went to the inn, or went to see her husband.

He didn't care. He was doing everything he could to keep her safe; it wasn't his fault if she screwed up after he warned her not to. What was he supposed to do? Physically restrain her to keep her from seeing her husband? He most certainly couldn't do that, she was stronger than he was.

And his Mr. Gold memories were exceedingly jealous of David Nolan and the personality was screaming at Rumpelstiltskin to do something about it. It made for very uncomfortable times.

Thank Gods that it was the morning before Valentine's Day and his favorite person to torment had a loan that he needed to pay back. So Rumpelstiltskin called up his bodyguard and told him where to meet.

Moe French was pathetic here. He was stripped of all his power and his rank and now he was nothing more than a simpering old man with a flower shop. Rumpelstiltskin had had a worse fate in mind for the man but Regina had apparently intervened and given him this.

Rumpelstiltskin felt his blood boil when he saw them unloading the flowers.

He murdered Belle. She committed suicide because of him.

But what could he expect? Had he thought something different would happen? Everyone would suspect that he had been with her. Why else should an insane imp take a pretty young woman with the best years of her life up to the castle to be completely alone? Everyone would think he had defiled her. No one would want her. They would acknowledge it wasn't her fault, but they wouldn't touch her because they would be terrified that he'd come back.

But it was still Maurice's fault….sure as he'd pushed her out of the window himself. She might've found someone, she might've been happy but he….what he did…

To his own DAUGHTER.

So, it was very fitting that he found him now, especially when tomorrow was that most loathed day, "Well, this is just perfect. I've been looking for you, Mr. French."

"I'll have your money next week," Moe pleaded.

He stared at him through the sunglasses. (Wonderful invention, he wished someone had made some in the Enchanted forest) "Terms of the loan were fairly specific."

A beat passed.

Rumpelstiltskin turned to his bodyguard, "Take the van."

Maurice paled, "Wait! No! Tomorrow's Valentine's Day! It's the biggest day of….I've got a grand in roses in the back."

Oh, even better.

"Stop!" Maurice screamed when his bodyguard started the van, "You've got to let me sell them."

Rumpelstiltskin made a show of staring at his golden pocket watch, "I'm going to leave you two to continue this conversation.

"Oh this is no way to be business Gold!" Maurice jumped in front of the van to keep them from driving off. Rumpelstiltskin ignored him and continued to walk away, "YOU ARE THE LOWEST! People aren't going to put up with this!" 

People had put up with it for 300 years; it was subconsciously ingrained in them by now. They'd do what they always did. Hide behind their closed shutters.

All except for Regina, who was standing there waiting for him when he crossed the street.

Gods, he was most certainly not in the mood to deal with her.

"Mr. Gold," Regina greeted, "That was quite a show back there."

"Well, Mr. French is just having a bad day," he glanced over his shoulder, "Happens to the best of us."

Regina readjusted her position, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something-."

She was catching on that he remembered. Gods knew he certainly dropped enough hints by now.

But to ask him in the middle of the busy street? Did she NOT know how subtlety worked? Or just…common decency?

Did she really think bludgeoning him with her accusations was going to work?

"Yeah, and the moment you have something I want to discuss," he taunted her; "We'll have that little chat." 

Regina's eyes darkened, like they always did when she was told 'no', "No, we're going to do this now. It'll only take a moment

"Is there something eating you, dear?" he said, "Something you need to get out in the open? Cause it's going to have to wait." 

Regina held her ground, but he could almost see her faltering. If he knew who he was, then surely he would be dangerous to confront like this, what was she thinking?

"Please," he finished. Regina automatically moved aside, courtesy of their deal and he

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow slept in the inn for the next two nights, Granny gave her a weird look but said nothing as Snow went upstairs and went to bed.

Like always, she told herself that she was doing nothing wrong. She was HELPING really because if she and David were together then it would majorly weaken the curse and Emma could break it faster.

She smiled a bit at David as they sat at separate tables in the diner. Ruby brought her breakfast and Snow saw David pulled out Anna Karenina; something her Mary Margaret personality and memories had told her was a great read, "Oh, you got the book."

"Yeah," David smiled at her, "Yeah, I just started it. It's great. Can't wait to see how it ends."

Snow tried to search her false memories for what it all went but the Mary Margaret side of her was quiet.

Red went over and refilled the coffee, "Uh, I can push the tables together if you guys-."

Snow felt the blood drain from her face, after the fight she had with Rumpelstiltskin, the prospect of everyone finding out was at the front of her mind, "Oh no, we're not together." 

"No, no that's-." David started but didn't finish.

Emma came into the diner, "Hey David."

"Hey," David greeted and visibly looked deflated now that he couldn't whisper secretly to her again.

"Mary Margaret," Emma greeted and sat across from her, "So, how's your day going?"

Snow smiled, "Henry's fine." 

Emma blinked, "That's not what I…asked you. You're sure? I mean it's not like I've been able to hear reports since you haven't been home. Dinners are really awkward."

"Really- he's his normal self. Regina can't keep you separated forever. When people are supposed to be together," she gave a longing look to her husband, "They find a way.

"Yeah," Emma muttered and Snow wasn't sure she was oblivious to what was going on, "So, he's his normal self? He's fine? He's happy."

"Yes," Snow said sarcastically and when Emma started to believe it, she dropped the act, "NO! He misses you – a lot. Trust me – I'm with him like six hours a day."

"Six hours?" Ashley interrupted, "You take newborns? Cause I'd love six hours off."

"Ashley" Snow said in surprise as she handed the baby off to Granny and went to sit with them, "I didn't recognize you."

"Baby on the outside?"

"How's it going?" Emma asked.

Ashley sat down with them, "It's uh…it's, uh…I mean, baby's great, but we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing. So, that's been rough. And Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery."

Snow fought some irritation. She had her husband and her baby and she got to keep both and she was upset because he was providing a life for them. Yeah, that was horrible, "Well, he has to work."

"On Valentine's Day?" Ashley demanded, "Yeah, he couldn't get out of it."

"I'm sorry," Emma said as Ruby came over, "That sucks."

"It doesn't have to," Ruby told them eagerly, "Come out with me! Let's have a girl's night. Oh, we can all go! Mary Margaret – Emma too. If you leave the badge at home…"

"I'm not really in the party mood," Emma said, "But you guys can all go and have fun." 

Snow really wasn't either, but it kept her from going home and spending an evening with Rumpelstiltskin.

The phone vibrated next to Emma. Emma glanced at it.

"What's that?" Snow asked.

"IT's the station, something's up."

"Be careful!" Snow called after her.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin didn't bother opening his shop today. He'd probably keep it closed tomorrow too.

He hated Valentine's Day. It reminded him of the love he could've had and then lost with Belle. It didn't help that tomorrow on this world's calendar was when she died in their world

He just wanted to go home. He was just so…very tired.

Rumpelstiltskin walked up the steps to the door of the house and found that it was ajar.

He froze. Was Emma the Heathen getting something and she left the door open? No, the car wasn't here and she wouldn't walk all the way to the house in that was the case. He quietly pushed the door open and slipped inside. In the front hallway there was a gun. He pulled it out and crept from room to room.

They were in his house…taking his things. When you stole from the Dark One, you got skinned alive, everyone knew that.

Or they would when Emma found the body.

He heard a creak behind him and raised the gun.

Emma stood behind him, her eyes were wide.

"Sheriff Swan," he said in relief.

"Your neighbor saw your front door open – they called it in."

Rumpelstiltskin looked around; whoever it was, and he knew exactly who it was, they were long gone, "It appears I've been robbed.

Emma smirked, "Funny how that keeps happening to you."

"Yeah well," he lowered the gun and looked at her, "I'm a difficult man to love."

Emma took out her cellphone, "I'll need a list of what was stolen. I think I can figure most of it out but you've been here a lot longer than me."

"There's no need." 

"It's my job."

Rumpelstiltskin huffed, "Sheriff Swan, you can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."

Emma almost looked like she was enjoying this, "No, you don't. This was a robbery – a public menace. And if you don't tell me what you know, I'll have to arrest you for obstruction of justice. I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."

He shuddered. He could practically taste and smell the stench of that dark prison that they'd forced him into for weeks, "Indeed not."

Emma waited and Rumpelstiltskin relented, "Alright, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral." 

"Okay," Emma tucked her phone into her pocket, "Okay. I'll go get him – check him out."

Rumpelstiltskin forgot himself for a second. Moe French wouldn't do this by himself; he was too much of a coward and would rather prey on weak family members. Regina had something to do with this; it was the only thing that made sense.

And if she was involved then…that cup…_Belle's cup. _What if she had it?

"I'm sure you will – assuming," he stopped and laughed and imagined all the horrible things he could do to avenge Belle here and Maurice would never understand why, "I don't find him… Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people.

Emma stopped and glared, "Is that a threat?"

"Observation," he said simply.

Emma didn't exactly look like she believed him. She started to leave the house and Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help but give a final taunt, "Good luck."

Because when he found Moe…there was nothing Emma could do to save him.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow stayed gone again last night, Emma stayed gone as well…or else she got home late. He wasn't sure.

He made an inventory of what was missing. The first place he went to was where he'd stored the cup. He was right, it was gone.

The rest of the day and night he went into a depression. He had to do this right, if he didn't Regina would break the cup or tell Moe to do it if he had it.

And God help them should that happen.

He let Emma have a head start in her investigation. If he didn't then he'd never hear the end of it from either woman in his house.

But his patience won out because Emma woke him up by telephoning and she proudly told him that all his stuff had been found.

Rumpelstiltskin wasted no time getting there. Emma was like a bull in a china shop when it came to delicate things, she might…(Shudder) microwave tea in Belle's cup or throw it away because it was chipped.

Emma didn't say anything to him as he walked in. She just simply led him to a desk that was covered in a sheet and pulled it away.

He scanned the contents under the sheet.

No cup.

Regina had it.

Emma waited for something and when he didn't give it, she rolled her eyes, "You're welcome. You were right – your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place."

Rumpelstiltskin stared at the things and felt a growing anger. Moe killed Belle and came into HIS house and took the one thing that he had left of hers….

"And the man himself?

"Closing in on him"

Rumpelstiltskin sneered, "So, job well 'half-done', then."

Emma looked irritated, "Is that what Mary tells you, too?" 

"Excuse me?"

"In less than a day, I got everything back. Is something wrong?"

"you've recovered NOTHING," he snapped and stormed away, "There's something missing."

Emma scoffed as he walked out, "I'll get it when I find him!"

Rumpelstiltskin stopped. No, she wouldn't. He gave her her chance and now it was time for him to do things the proper way, "Not if I find him first."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

Getting out and relaxing was the smartest decision Snow had made since she woke up here.

She didn't have to worry about her safety here, she didn't have to worry about Charming's or Emma's…she just relaxed.

Snow didn't remember the last time she did that.

But the way Ashley was pounding back her drinks made Snow a bit worried. She had a four month old at home, "Pace yourself, Ashley."

"I am! This is the first night out since I've had the baby – I am making up for lost time."

Ruby saw something past them, "Ooh, Ash – check out those guys."

Ashley looked uncomfortable, "Oh, honey, I'm still with Sean."

Ruby gave her an incredulous look, "You're not married, and he's not here."

Ashley frowned, "He's working."

Ruby practically rolled her eyes, "He's always working."

Snow shuddered; Red would never be saying any of these things if she had control.

Ruby picked up her drink, "Have fun moping."

They watched Red walk away, "She's right – he is always working."

"He's just trying to provide a life for you and the baby," Snow offered.

"I thought love would be different," Ashley whispered.

Snow sighed at the girl's melodrama. At least she had her family, and lifted up her glass, "Me, too."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin had found Moe French hiding in the back office of his store.

The man was a coward, it wasn't hard to get him up in the van, Rumpelstiltskin just had to point the gun at him and he nearly sobbed as Rumpelstiltskin tied him up.

He took Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin made sure to keep the flower truck out of sight right out of town while he went to get supplies. Duct tape and rope, thankfully no one dared have a vile sense of humor about that and Valentine's Day to him.

His very crummy day was made worse when David Nolan walked behind him with two cards in his hand.

His Mr. Gold personality begged him to beat David Nolan senseless right here, but Rumpelstiltskin did not want to have a murder AND an assault pinned on him. His Mr. Gold side was just jealous because of a relationship that would never come to pass, "Two valentines – sounds like a complicated life.

Charming cleared his throat, "Oh, no. I… I just couldn't decide.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at the pathetic pieces of painted board, "These are both for the same woman?"

David Nolan smiled, " Well, they're both so…us."

Rumpelstiltskin lied, " I see. Well, you're fortunate you have someone that loves you."

Even if she wasn't doing a good job of showing it by endangering his life."

"I really am."

Rumpelstiltskin placed the contents on the counter, "Love – it's like a delicate flame. And once it's gone, it's gone forever."

Nolan was quiet, thank gods.

Rumpelstiltskin pretended to be oblivious and gave a wink, "Best of luck to you."

"Thanks," David told him as he passed by.

He was stepping out on his wife to date Rumpelstiltskin's wife (as he believed) and he had the audacity to look him in the eye.

Rumpelstiltskin hated David Nolan.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

He pleaded for his life. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't sure how he had the audacity to do something like that when he rejected his own daughter and killed her but here he was begging for his life like he didn't do anything wrong.

"Let me explain, okay? Let me explain."

Rumpelstiltskin grabbed another chair and planted it in front of Maurice, "Oh. Well, that is fascinating."

He straddled the chair, "Truly fascinating." 

The bloodlust, which he thought had long since passed, was pounding through him. Maurice killed Belle; he was going to make him suffer for that.

He pressed his cane against the windpipe, "I'm going to let you breathe in a second, and you're going to say two sentences. The first is going to tell me where it is. The second, is going to tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules? Good. Let's begin."

He pulled the cane away.

"I needed that van!" Maurice pleaded.

Rumpelstiltskin laughed and lifted up his cane, "Now, you see, that is not a good first sentence!" 

He slammed the cane against Maurice hard. It wouldn't be anything like they used on Belle. He didn't bring anything with him to scourge Maurice so he would know what it was like….being bean like that and hoping for death.

"Ow! Gold! Listen!"

"Tell me where it is!" he hit him again. He'd been waiting for this for a very long time.

"Ow! Stop!

"Tell me where it is!" he hit him harder.

"Ow! Stop!"

Rumpelstiltskin drew back and waited. He wanted to hear from Maurice's own mouth where that cup was and what Regina planned to do with it.

"It wasn't my fault!

"'My fault'?" Rumpelstiltskin sneered, "What are you talking about, 'my fault'? You shut her out. You had her love, and you shut her out!

He hit him again. He was so enraged that the screams of Maurice only fueled him, and he rained down blows "She's gone. She's gone forever – she's not coming back. And it's your fault! Not mine! You are her father! Yours! It's yours!

He lost count of how many times he hit him…or when it was that several bones in his face and arm became broken. He was too far gone…he lost control. He'd always tried to be on his best behavior when it came to Maurice. He had wanted to destroy him slowly and he made sure the man's kingdom crumbled but now that he had nothing left to take from him but his life…it all came out.

"It's your fault!" he hit him again; "It's your fa-."

A hand closed on his wrist. He turned to look at the interruption. Emma stood there; he had never heard her come in.

She was looking at him like they all did.

Like she was looking at a monster.

"Stop!" she whispered.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Without her 'husband' by her side, people were more than willing to talk to Snow and for the first time in 28 years, Mary Margaret got a taste of what it was like to be accepted by society.

She and Archie had a good conversation that didn't involve anything about therapy and as the conversation drew to a close, she saw Ashley sitting at a table by herself. She crossed over and sat across form her, "Girls' night's really working out for you."

"I thought it would make me feel better. But the truth is, I need a 'be with my guy night'. But he's never around, and I'm at home with the baby all day. I mean, what's the point of being together if we're not together?"

This world wasn't so easy when you weren't a prince with nothing BUT time.

Snow still thought Ashley was incredibly lucky to have even an absent husband, "I get it. Loving someone you can't be with – it's a terrible, terrible burden."

Ashley gave her a miserable look, "You know, this was a bad idea. I should… I should go home."

"Ashley?"

They both turned, Sean was in the bar with a large bouquet of flowers, "Sean?"

"Hey," he gave Ashley a sweet happy look.

She walked up to him, "I thought that you were working tonight?"

"I am – it's my break. And I… I had to see you. And ask you something."

He took Ashley's hand and knelt down on one knee. Snow felt a small smile creep up to her lips as he presented a ring, Will you marry me?"

A beat passed as Ashley looked stunned, "I only have a twenty minute break, so, um, anytime now."

Ashley gave him a beaming smile, "Yes!"

He stood up and hugged her, "My truck's outside if you want to take a ride before I head back to work. It's not much of a date-"

"It's the best date," she smiled and kissed him

"Then, your carriage a waits," he held out his arm to the door.

Snow watched them leave and felt a small amount of guilt creep in.

Rumpelstiltskin was right. She was being reckless with David's life for her own selfish needs. She was risking too much.

She was ready to go home and make it right with Rumpelstiltskin.

Snow grabbed her jacket and walked outside. Sean and Ashley were getting into the truck down where he'd parked.

"How's girls' night?"

Snow looked over as David approached her, "David? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I knew you'd be here. And I, uh… I wanted to give you your Valentine's Day card."

Snow accepted the card that he held out, "Checking up on me?"

He blushed a little bit and shuffled, "Maybe a little. I didn't want you finding somebody else."

"Like you?" Snow looked down and felt her heart break as she read the name out loud, "Kathryn, I woof you…"

David snatched it from her, "I'm so sorry. I meant… I meant this one."

He gave her another sealed envelope and Snow was once again reminded of her situation. Charming would never do something like that. He would never…he would never betray his wife.

Gods, SHE was supposed to be better than this too! What had they turned to?

Snow put the card in the envelope, "I-I… I always thought that if two people were supposed to be together, they'd find a way. But, David, if this is our way, I think we should find another one."

"Mary Margaret-"

The more he was with her; the more she was reminded that this wasn't him, "I think you should go home to Kathryn."

"I know. You're right, but it doesn't mean I'm going to give up. We'll find that way."

Snow fought tears, "I hope so."

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered but they both knew it was ruined.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

As the rage cooled, Rumpelstiltskin realized the big mistake he'd made.

He'd told Snow constantly not to expose them and what did he do?

Their lives were in constant danger; his and Snow's. He had ruined everything by beating this man near to death.

It was strategically unsound.

Emma walked up, "So, I heard you managed not to break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold."

Not by a long shot. Maurice was still alive, wasn't he?

"You got a funny definition of lucky."

Emma took a defensive stance, "You have a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?"

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "He stole."

Emma didn't waver, "That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt her – what happened to 'her'? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can help."

He wouldn't trust the daughter of Snow White or Prince Charming to seek any justice in the way it needed to be sought, "No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."

Emma lifted an eyebrow, "You really don't want to cooperate?

He wasn't in the mood for her games, "Look, we're done here."

He turned to leave, Emma reached out and grabbed him, "Actually, we're not. You're under arrest.

She slammed the handcuffs on him and Rumpelstiltskin just smirked at her. He'd be out of there in no time, Maurice would be disfigured for life, and he could continue breaking this curse and using Emma. This did not bother him at all."

Because nothing would change.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow was pacing when Emma came into the house. Emma's eyes widened when she saw her, "Hey, you're back."

"I'm back," She looked down at the box in Emma's hands, "What's that?"

"The stuff from the robbery."

Snow felt her blood chill, "What robbery?"

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, "you didn't know?"

"Elias and I haven't been talking for the past couple of days, no. Emma, what robbery?"

Someone had been in the house? Who? Sidney? Regina? 

"The florist came in and made off with some of your husband's belongings," Emma shifted uncomfortable, "Um…you should know that something happened tonight. I was trying to get ahold of you but-."

"My phone was off…didn't want interruptions for girls' night," she explained quickly, "Emma, what has he done?"

"He found the guy…beat him bad, he nearly killed him."

Snow drew in a sharp breath and ran her hands through her hair, "Because he robbed us?" 

"I'm inclined to think that something else was going on that I don't know about." 

"Well I don't- I don't know either," she whispered and sat down.

Never underestimate the Dark One and his temper.

"Is the florist….is he okay?"

"He won't be looking in the mirror anytime soon; he's been beaten pretty badly."

Snow put her hands against her face.

She was off trying to relax…to be inconspicuous and Rumpelstiltskin was off beating someone half to death. He told her to stop seeing her husband to keep him safe and so Regina wouldn't suspect she remembered. Where was he? Beating a man to death. Yeah, Regina would NEVER be able to tell he was displaying his trademark temper.

"Listen," Emma sat next to her, "If I were you…I'd leave him alone tonight. He's seeing red…you can pay his bail in the morning."

And he sat there and told her that she was going to get them all killed and he nearly killed a man.

"No," Snow whispered and stood.

"What?" 

"No," Snow shook her head and stormed to her room. It was nights like this that she was reminded that both he and Regina were probably a lot better off in cages, "he can get himself out."

000000000000000000000000000000000

Emma was just a little too smug about his incarceration, Rumpelstiltskin didn't like it.

Occasionally Emma asked him if he wanted something. A book or a newspaper…some extra water, but there was always a condition attached.

That she get out of her favor.

Suddenly, it wasn't quite so funny when he was on the other side of his games.

"Pastrami – you want half?" Emma said at lunchtime. She had a very smirk on her face, the heathen. You know, I still owe you that favor. Nice, fatty pastrami. Delicious way to clear the books."

He gave her a smirk of his own. She was truly desperate to get out from under his thumb, "Well, I don't need a reminder that you owe me a favor. And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwich."

Emma's smile dropped slightly

Someone came in, he looked up and tensed when he saw it was Regina carting in Henry.

He knew what was going to happen immediately. She was going to use Henry to lure Emma away.

He wasn't worried. He'd been waiting all morning for her to come in.

"Sheriff Swan? I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry," she put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a push forward. When that was done, Regina turned and glared at Rumpelstiltskin, "Take him out – buy him ice cream."

Emma crossed her arms, "You want me to leave you alone with a prisoner?"

Regina didn't take her eyes off Rumpelstiltskin "Twenty nine and a half minutes."

Emma looked ready to refuse, but stopped when Henry gave her a sweet smile, "Hi, Emma."

Emma melted and gave a smile of her own, "Hey."

She gave an unsure look at Rumpelstiltskin but he knew that she would be happier with Henry. Besides, he and Regina had had each other in their sights for a while now, now was as good a time as any to confront the other, "Bring me back a cone?"

"Just this once," Emma told them and grabbed her coat. She gave an excited smile to her son, "Come on – let's go."

Regina smirked as soon as they were gone.

"Well, you really wanted that little chat, didn't you?" Rumpelstiltskin mocked.

"Apparently, this is the only way I could do it."

He pointed to the couch, "Please – sit."

Regina straightened as if she was no longer in control and walked over to the couch without expression.

When she was nice and cozy he started in with the first lesson he taught her, "Now, when two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?"

Regina looked proud of herself, "Yes."

He stared her down, "So, you did put him up to it, then."

"I merely suggested that strong men take what they need."

"Oh, yeah. And you told him just exactly what to take, didn't you?" he felt last night's fury growing in his chest again.

"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold," Regina taunted, "Has it really come down to this?"

"It seems it has, yeah," he pointed to her, "But you know what I want – what is it you want?"

"I want you, to answer one question. And answer it simply," she offered, "What's your name?"

And there it was.

Didn't she know the floodgates that she would open with that question?

He refused to let himself be cornered just yet. She was still in too much control "It's Mr. Gold."

Regina looked disgusted, "Your real name."

He did his best to look confused, "Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."

"But what about moments," she hesitated, "Spent elsewhere?"

He blinked, "What are you asking me?"

Regina leaned forward, "I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours – tell me your name."

There was no more dancing around it, he had to answer now if he wanted Belle's cup. But he had Regina where he wanted her now. She was practically begging him for that answer that she knew was coming. She was no longer in control.

He let several beats pass, and an arrogant malicious smile crossed his lips, "Rumpelstiltskin."

She paled, she gave no indication but he saw the terror in her eyes as she just realized what she'd done.

He lunged at the bars, "Rumpelstiltskin. Now give me what I want."

Regina tried to regain what control she had had, "Such hostility."

He nodded, "Oh, yeah."

Regina reached into her purse and pulled out the small chipped up, "Over this?"

He felt his heart stop. It was still in one piece but one wrong move and it wouldn't be. He felt himself shaking as he reached through the bars to grab it put she dangled it in front of his face and pulled it away, "Such a sentimental little keepsake."

He grabbed it from her before she could drop it, "Thank you…"

She smirked.

He added in a mocking "Your majesty"

He sat down and held the cup securely. Now that it was all out there what happened? Did they part ways? She most likely didn't have a plan after this, she never did, "So. Now that we're being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm going to be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change."

There was fear in her eyes but she wasn't going to let him know that, she gripped the bars and leaned in, "We shall see."

He held her gaze until she released the bars and started to leave.

When she was gone, he looked at the cup. There was no more damage, it was safe.

He clutched it tighter in his hands and wept for Belle.


	14. What Happened to Frederic

Snow wrapped the light sweater around herself as she walked down the hallway to the cell that was housing Rumpelstiltskin.

Emma wasn't here, thank Gods. Snow could at least talk to him for a little bit before they were interrupted.

Rumpelstiltskin looked up when she came in, "Ah! Finally, you're paying my bail!"

Snow scoffed, "No! You beat a man's skull in!"

"It was justified."

Snow saw the cup in his lap, "Because he took that?"

"Because Regina had him take this," he looked at the cup and clenched it in his hand.

"A cup endangered both of us and threw us in this mess?" she asked incredulously, "Really!"

"It's more than just a cup!"

"I should hope so with the reaction you had!"

Rumpelstiltskin was quiet for a few seconds. Snow noticed that he was holding the thing like it was more fragile than a baby,"Would you believe that I was in love once?"

That didn't surprise Snow, "You've certainly complained about true love enough for me to believe that."

He smiled bitterly, "Before you first approached me, I had a maid in my castle. She was…a princess before that. I talked her into coming with me to solve her problem with the ogres. She stayed in my care for a few months and…we fell in love. This cup was a moment of hers."

"Is she here?"

He stared ahead. Snow watched as his features hardened, "No."

Snow understood the implication immediately and lowered her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"I was foolish. I had her and I let her go because I couldn't be asked to choose between them."

Snow looked up, "Choose between who?"

Rumpelstiltskin gripped the cup, "She went home to her father and he, knowing what I was, tried to have her cleansed…the very old way of cleansing and she killed herself."

Snow drew in a sharp breath and felt herself drawing closer to Rumpelstiltskin, "And the man that you beat?"

"Is her father. Regina told him to come in and take the cup to see what I would do. I ….overreacted."

Snow shivered at his cold smile, "Elias Gold has no memory attached to that chipped cup."

"Indeed, he does not."

"So….she did it knowing that it would be against you and not him?" Snow asked and felt her voice quake, "Does she know?"

"She knows that I remember," He told her, "She doesn't know yet about you."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because you are still alive."

Snow felt the fear racing through her, "But it won't be long until…"

"No, it won't be." 

Snow clutched her jacket close to her chest, "What do we do?" 

Rumpelstiltskin smiled wryly, "Something crazy."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

What Rumpelstiltskin was suggesting to her was insane. The pitch he made, the reasons behind it…

It would never work. There were too many steps that had to go PERFECTLY right.

_Well, that's the advantage dearie, _Rumpelstiltskin had said, _I've become a master of long cons over the centuries, if there's anyone that could pull it off, I could. _

But to…what was it again? Take the fall for a disappearance turned fake murder that she did not commit? So it all led back to Regina when the missing person turned up? It was stupid, it wouldn't work.

_Regina has her backside firmly on her throne and she won't move without a strong push," _he had told her as she vehemently refused participating in something to stupidly complicated, _in this world, I cannot wave my hand and make her go away, they need things like motive and evidence. _

She had protested it was too dangerous. Too many things could get out of control and she'd be killed or the ruse would be discovered and Emma and Charming would lose faith in her. More than they had already lost when they found out the lengths she went to sometimes to manipulate them for what she thought was their safety.

_Regina's mind is off me now, she got what she wanted. How long before it resets back on you and your family?_

It might have been manipulation but he wasn't wrong.

Regina needed to be dealt with, but Snow didn't like the risk it had. Especially to Kathryn Nolan. She was innocent in all of this and she was the one that could get hurt the worst.

Then her entire viewpoint changed when David called her up after dinner and told her that Kathryn wanted to leave and go to Boston for a fresh start.

Snow wasted no time in meeting him as soon as possible, "What did you tell her?"

"That I needed to take a walk. Clear my head. Think about it."

Snow bit her lip. This was bad. He most certainly could not go to Boston because Rumpelstiltskin told her that bad things happened when people crossed the town border and she believed him. If she said nothing and he went….

She obviously couldn't let it happen; she had to fight to keep him here.

But what could she do? If she fought to keep him here, then it would put Regina on her scent and she'd know immediately. Or, at the very least…figure it out.

And then what did that mean for them?

"I'm guessing you didn't tell her that the walk was with me."

"No. No, of course not."

Snow felt the oncoming guilt. She had every reason to be with her husband, but not like this. Kathryn was cursed and had nothing to do with their fight and she would get hurt with them continuing what they did. She'd get hurt no matter what, "Why is that our default? Lying?"

"Because I don't-," he stuttered.

Because he wanted both of them and that was about to change, "We're not being honest. I know it's hard, but we have to tell her the truth about everything – about us."

"I don't know if I can."

Snow fought disgust, but she knew she'd be hypocritical if she looked down on him because these were the terms of the affair and she'd accepted it when they started sneaking around together, "You have to. If we can't be honest with other people, how can we be honest with each other?"

He stopped, "Is it really the best plan?"

"What's your plan?" She scoffed at the idea of the plan that most certainly could not happen, "Moving to Boston?"

"No."

She dug in with some manipulation of her own, "The only way no one gets hurt here, is if we don't want to be together. Is that what you want?"

"No."

"Well, then we have to stop hiding and do something. Its better she hears it from you than from someone else since we're not exactly being subtle about it as much as we could. You have to make a choice."

"I choose you."

Snow smiled, it wasn't Charming and she knew that but it was good to hear him say it after he broke her heart the last time he had to choose,, "Then, it's time to tell Kathryn."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

They told Kathryn and he left her to be with Snow, then Regina would know.

He left with Kathryn to go to Boston and hit the town border and died, Snow obviously couldn't let that happen to keep her cover.

If Snow did something to keep Regina busy however…by coming after her to keep the curse intact instead of figuring it out and coming after Emma and Charming…

Everyone was going to find out about the affair when they told Kathryn. Regina would retaliate, why not do it in such a way that it all came back to her? 

But things could go wrong and Kathryn could get hurt.

But the risks were too great no matter what she did. Regina needed a distraction.

And this would save Kathryn's life as well.

Snow marched back into the jail for the second time today, Rumpelstiltskin was already lying down, "Oh dearie, I don't really fancy being in a cage after the one your family threw me into all those years ago, but I am rather enjoying this bed as opposed to the one your husband didn't give me."

"I'll do it."

He sat up. Snow wrapped her arms around herself and averted her gaze at the vicious look in his eyes, "Truly?"

"You just have to promise that you'll have a way to stay in control at all times and Kathryn doesn't get killed."

"Regina will have to think she's dead." 

"I don't care; she lives."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Very well then. For this to work, you'll need to pay my bail."

"It's done."

"You work fast."

"I'm roommates with the sheriff; she's processing the paperwork now."

"Oh, is that why Emma breezed in and breezed out and only stopped to glare and mentally spit at me?" he laid back, "Wonderful then! We can get started in the morning."

Snow felt a feeling of dread creep up her spine and she turned away, "Yeah."

"You're doing the right thing, dearie."

Snow stopped, "The lesser of the evils doesn't automatically make it 'the right thing'"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

That stranger that rolled into town after Graham died was talking with Emma and he was flirting and Emma was flirting back.

Snow didn't like it. She watched as they talked outside for a few moments before Emma came in. Snow tried to look curious and not like she was digging a fork in her leg that this mysterious man was talking to her baby. (And he rode a motorcycle! That was not safe!) "Who was that?"

"I don't know yet," Emma shrugged out of her coat.

"Yet?" That got Snow's interest, "So, you're going to find out?"

"It's nothing," Emma waved her hand, "Do you think the waffles will be stale again today?"

"Nothing with you means something. Because if it were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it."

"You asked first!" Emma protested, "I'm sorry – I thought you called me here to talk about you in a place that your husband couldn't overhear and make remarks?"

"Yeah, but talking about you is easier right now."

"Why you let him back in the house after what he did, I'll never know," Emma muttered and drank the coffee Ruby poured for her.

"Did you see him this morning?" Snow asked.

"Gone when I got up thank God, I don't think I could stand to hear any of his remarks. I don't even think I slept."

"He won't hurt you."

"Really? Because he seems to have a thing against people who slight him. I don't want to wake up one day with him trying to drive his cane into me," Emma stopped and paled, "You know what? Let's change this discussion… to something that won't…make me want to stab my eyes out, "What's going on with you? What's happened?"

Snow leaned in, "Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?"

"Yes," Emma trailed off, knowing exactly where this was going.

"I didn't," Snow admitted.

Emma smiled, "Yeah, I know."

Snow blushed, "You do? How?"

"Because I'm Sheriff," Emma reminded her, "and you are a lovesick school teacher. Covering your tracks is not exactly your strong suit."

"Well, I've been discre-," She stopped and lowered her voice, "Discrete."

"Two teacups in the sink, new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines. It was not hard to connect the dots."

Snow looked down at her shirt, it didn't even show cleavage. If Emma wanted 'plunging' she should meet Regina in her old clothes, "Plunging?"

Emma looked way too amused at this, "When I met you, you were a top button kind of girl."

"Huh," Snow felt a bit of pride for her daughter, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Emma scoffed, "I'm not your mother."

"No. Well, according to Henry, I'm yours," Snow muttered at the irony and took a sip of her coffee

"I just figured that you would let me know when it was time," Emma told her gently, "I'm assuming it's time."

In more ways than one. They were finally working towards something that could save everyone if it all went off without a hitch, "He's telling Kathryn."

"Everything?"

"Everything," Snow told her.

"I certainly hope so."

"And does your husband know?" 

Snow nodded, "He figured it out."

"And what does he think about that?" 

"He's…more or less agreed. We haven't…been the same since before you came to town. We haven't even had sex."

It was a lie, at least a little bit. But she didn't want her daughter to think that the marriage had somehow fallen apart because of her and she didn't want Emma spending the rest of her stay here believing that her mother had cheated on her father knowingly.

Emma's eyes widened, "He goes to your room!"

"I like the company. We talk about books and plans…and he sleeps on the couch"

"What about that one time when I came in to you and he…"

"A moment of weakness that never…took off," Snow blushed, "But any rate…it's over. He and I are over as a couple."

"How do you feel about that?" 

Snow tried to push the guilt away, "Strange enough….sort of sad."

Emma looked confused, "'Strange enough?"

"One day I'll sit down and tell you all about the very strange story of how we got together."

"Not now though?" Emma sounded a bit disappointed.

"Probably sooner than you realize," Snow promised.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

David called Snow when the kids were being let out of school. She answered it a little too enthusiastically, "Hey. Did, uh… Did you do it?"

"Yeah," she heard the sadness in his voice, "It's bad."

Snow felt guilty for what Kathryn was going through, "I'm sorry."

"No, it was, um… It was really bad."

Snow nodded, "But you told the truth. So, now, we can pick up the pieces. We can start over from a real place."

Not as real as him being him, but at least it was something.

"Hey, I want to see you," he said suddenly, "Can I come by when you get done at school?"

"Of course! I'll see you then. And, David," she looked for the right words to say, "– you did the right thing."

Snow hung up and looked up towards the hallway. She froze when she saw a very angry Kathryn Nolan walking towards her. The words were stumbling out of her mouth in an instant, "Kathryn. I'm… I'm sorry."

Kathryn stormed up and slapped her hard across the face. Everyone immediately went quiet.

"Screw you, you're sorry," she hissed.

Snow put her hand on the stinging cheek, "I understand you're upset. You have every right to be."

"Thank you for that insight!"

"Can we…," Snow saw that everyone was watching them, Can we please talk somewhere private?"

"Private?" Kathryn scoffed, "Why do you get any consideration at all? You have shown none for me – either of you. All you did was lie."

"We should have talked to you sooner, but we've been completely honest. We didn't lie."

But even she knew that they had.

"You didn't lie?" Kathryn continued, "You snuck around. You had him break up my marriage with a pack of lies. With some crap about not being able to connect? He didn't have any trouble connecting with you."

Snow was beginning to suspect that she'd gotten led on too, "David didn't tell you about us?"

"No, of course not. That would have been the _honorable_ thing to do," Kathryn spat.

"But, he said he would tell you."

"Well, then he lied to you, too. Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other." 

Snow stood there shaking as she turned around and marched out.

Everyone was looking at her.

Snow, shaking, turned around and went to the front doors.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Once when Regina was hunting Snow, she had pinpointed her location to be somewhere in the middle of the woods. Her solution to get Snow had been to try and burn her out. That fire…took 1/3rd of the forest, countless animals, and it had nearly taken Snow's life. It had spread faster than anything Snow had ever seen and even when she had stopped to rest, it caught up with her so fast that she had to move again.

The news about the affair spread faster than that. Everyone was talking about her now. They didn't even have the decency to hide it, they just started whispering and avoiding her on the street.

Even Granny told her she should be ashamed of herself and in normal circumstances, Snow would agree. She wouldn't be as…bold to say it, but she agreed

They didn't know the whole story, that's how she told herself that she could get past this humiliation. Their angry whispers, they're judging looks and names…

Someone took it to the next step; she found the word 'tramp' spray-painted in big red letters on her jeep. If that wasn't bad enough, Charming was there cleaning off the graffiti. David; the man that she risked everything for and he wasn't even completely her husband

"Who did this?" she gasped.

He dropped the rag in the bucket, "I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know how any of this happened."

Snow scoffed, "You don't know? Really?"

David swallowed, "Mary Margaret, I can't control what other people do."

Snow scoffed, "No, but you can control what you do. And you lied. And, now, everyone is calling me a tramp among other things…. We were going to start a new life together. We had made plans…"

"Who told her?"

Snow closed her eyes tightly, "That is exactly the wrong question. The real question is, why didn't you do what we discussed? Why didn't you tell her?"

David stuttered, "I thought we could spare her feelings."

"Right –," Snow muttered, "_You thought._ Not 'we' – you. And we discussed this."

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Did Regina curse him with stupidity and indecision as a means of taking everything that made him her husband? "Now everyone is hurt! We had an understanding. We had an agreement. But you not only lied to her, you lied to me."

David grabbed her hand, "Mary Margaret, please. Listen to me. If we want to see if… If this – if what we have – is love… We have to do what you said. You know, we have to pick up the pieces, and we've got to move on."

Snow pulled away. She wasn't going to pretend anymore, she was tired of pretending that this was what it clearly was not. He always said the right thing, she always believed him and he always broke her heart. That would always happen until Emma broke the curse.

Emma. Not her. She continued to be foolish to think that she could do something.

"David, this isn't love. What we have is something else entirely. What we have is destructive, and it has to stop."

"What are you saying?"

"That we shouldn't be together," she pulled away and walked down the street.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

Snow refused to let Rumpelstiltskin in when he came to knocking at her door later that evening. She didn't even call out for him to go away. She was just….too drained. She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk about her plans or his plans….she just wanted to be left alone.

He'd been right. She'd taken a risk and it blew up in her face.

Rumpelstiltskin respected her silence and went to his room.

An hour later, the door opened and Snow tensed as Emma came in. She quietly shut the door behind her. Snow hugged the pillow closer to chest and sniffled.

"You feel like talking about it yet?"

"Nope," she whispered.

"You want to be alone?"

Snow closed her eyes, "Nope."

The bed shifted as Emma gently lay down next to her and said nothing.


	15. Dreamy

Everyone talked every time she passed by. Snow thought that it wouldn't bother her at first. She was sort of used to being ostracized since she was a wanted bandit for years in one personality and the wife of the landlord in the other.

It hurt because they were supposed to be her friends in another life.

"Don't let them get to you, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin told her as they walked down the street together, her hand was entwined with his. It was a show, like it always was. They hardly went out without the other now, Rumpelstiltskin wanted to show unity.

The affair was scandalous enough. Rumpelstiltskin not seeking a divorce and staying with her seemed to be an extra layer of juicy that got them all titillated.

Snow held the clipboard in her other hand, "I'm worried about the turnout for Miner's Day."

"I wouldn't care."

Snow smiled bitterly. He'd been trying to get her to drop out of it for a week now, "Of course you wouldn't."

"You're helping the fairies," he spat.

"One day you're going to have to sit down and tell me why you hate them so much."

"One day is a long way away," he stopped in front of the diner, "You're facing an uphill battle, you know that?"

"Judging by the phone calls I've gotten, yeah."

He brushed a knuckle down her face. Snow noticed that he made sure to do it in front of the window where everyone could see, "You should just come home, your friends might get the volunteers they need."

"No," Snow shook her head, "I won't accept defeat."

"Sometimes that comes with a cost."

"I can't hide in the house anymore," Snow snapped.

"So the nun fair is your first public outing."

"Mary Margaret has helped for years," she smiled, "Much to Mr. Gold's dismay."

Rumpelstiltskin sighed, "Well, I can't stop you from doing what you'll inevitably do anyway. Be cautious"

"I will."

"And don't be too disappointed, dearie. Your moping around the house has depressed me. You know I can't spin when I feel depressed and that's when I do my best thinking."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Rumpelstiltskin gave a wry smile, "One to show everyone we're not arguing?"

Snow smiled and gave him a kiss. It wasn't as warm as the others they'd tried to share. She was still angry at him for what he did to Maurice and he was still angry at her for exposing herself so needlessly. But like it or not, they were stuck working together.

She cleared her throat and stepped into the diner, ""Excuse me. Can I have everyone's attention, please?"

Everyone went quiet. A few even leaned in eagerly to hear what she had to say. The vicious look in their eyes meant they were far more interested in the next bit of gossip than forgiving her.

Snow cleared her throat, "I'm sorry to interrupt your morning, but I just wanted to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us – Miner's Day. As always, the nuns of Storybrooke are hoping that everyone will get involved, and will help sell their exquisite candles. All we need are a few energetic volunteers. So, who wants to join me?"

Everyone deliberately turned around and went back to what they were doing. Emma sat in her corner and gave a sympathetic look to Snow. She wanted to pressure Emma into doing something but Emma was the sheriff and she had security to work.

At the bar, Leroy stood up and started walking up to her. Snow felt a bit of excitement, her friend was here to help. Maybe the curse was weakening for him and he felt drawn to her in some way, "Leroy, you want to volunteer?"

He gave her an irritated scowl, "I want to leave, sister. You're blocking the door."

"Of course," he tried to move around her but she blocked him, "Uh, you know, if you wanted to help, it could really be a-."

He scoffed before she was done, "Oh, yeah. Right. Quite a team we'd make – town harlot, town drunk. The only person in this town that people like less than me is you. If you're coming to me, you're screwed."

Snow didn't know how either one of them were supposedly more hated than Mr. Gold but she knew that wasn't the point.

She'd been dressed down by the town drunk and humiliated in front of those that were still listening in. The actual Grumpy would never say those things to her. Well, he might if he thought she was wrong, but not in those blunt hurtful terms.

She turned to leave. Maybe Rumpelstiltskin was right, maybe she should just…give up. They were rallying against her far harder than they were David. Snow didn't know if that was because of her gender or because they knew her and her reputation was supposed to be better than that.

"Hey. Mind if I join you?" Emma jogged up next to her and pulled on her cap, "So, what is Miner's Day, and why are you beating yourself up over it?"

Snow smiled in remembrance of the fake holiday, "It's an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition. The nuns used to make candles and trade them with the miners for coal."

"Coal? In Maine?" Emma asked with an eyebrow raised, "If they were mining for lobster, I'd understand."

"Look, I don't know," Snow said quickly. It was just a holiday that the curse put in, "Now, they use it as a fundraiser. It's an amazing party – everyone loves it."

Emma pursed her lips together, "It doesn't seem like everyone loves it."

"It's not Miner's Day – it's me. Last week, I had ten volunteers. This week, they all dropped out."

"You think this is about what happened with David?"

"Oh, I know it is. A few of them told me as much," Snow tilted her head as she realized what she sort of was now, "I've never…been a home wrecker before."

"It's going to blow over. You made a mistake with David – it happens. But, you don't have to do charity to try to win people's hearts back."

"I have to do something; I'm going nuts in that house. This is the best I can do."

Emma's phone rang. She stopped and answered it.

"Sheriff Swan. Yeah. I'll be right down."

She hung up the phone, "Well, apparently, duty calls. Hang in there. And, if there's anything I can do to help, I will."

"I know," Snow squeezed her shoulder, "Thank you."

Emma jogged off to the car and Snow was once again, alone.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Where can I sign up?"

Snow didn't have to look up to know that Leroy was standing over her. He had a very distinctive voice. Odd though, Snow thought it was past noon, didn't he usually smell a bit more…differently by this time of day?

But after what he said? Why should she even waste her time looking up?

"What?" Leroy almost whined, "I want to volunteer to sell candles."

Snow looked up sharply, "No, you don't. You made that very clear this morning at Granny's."

"Well…," Leroy stuttered, "Maybe, I saw the light. I mean, maybe somebody showed it to me."

HA! Now there was a laugh. No one saw anything unless Emma showed it to them.

"What difference does it make, sister?" Leroy said suddenly, "It looks like you can use all the help you can get."

Well, he was better than nothing.

"Okay," Snow shoved a clipboard into his hands, "I need help manning the candle booth. No swearing, no drinking, and I get to call all the shots."

Snow wondered what she got herself into.

At the sober excited look in Leroy's eyes, Snow really hoped she didn't regret it.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Everyone managed to steer clear of the both and the few that did have to walk past them stared ahead and tried not to look at Snow and Leroy as they held out the candles.

Snow's throat hurt because every time they walked past, she raised her voice, "Buy your Miner's Day candles here! Handmade by Storybrooke's very own nuns! Light your way to a good cause! By buying a candle!"

Nothing, she wanted to chuck them at people. Maybe that'd get their attention, "This isn't working."

Leroy nodded, "You're right. We should pack it up."

Well, that hadn't taken long, "Now you're quitting?"

Leroy smirked, "If the customers won't come to us, we got to go to them – door to door."

Snow sighed, that was a disaster waiting to happen, "If they hate us here, what makes you think they'll like us in their homes?"

"Exactly," he cocked his head, "They'll pay us just to leave."

There was a confidence in his voice that Snow didn't recognize in Leroy. And she wasn't sure she recognized it in Grumpy either.

His assurance was something she sort of liked. She packed up some boxes and raced out of the booth with him.

Her daughter was a few feet away. Snow was so wrapped up in getting this done that she just barely noticed her father's murderer was standing next to Emma, "Emma! Help me out! What's more sympathetic? Um, scarf or no scarf?"

Emma looked completely baffled, "Sc-Scarf."

Snow grinned, "Okay."

Grumpy shot them a thumbs up, "Come on – we're on a schedule.

"Oh, uh," Snow stopped, "thank you. Got to go.

They were selling candles.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It had been a disaster. Snow didn't want to think about how many doors had been slammed in their faces. Some were so hard that the loud sound made Snow have a headache.

They went back to the volunteer center with not more than another penny to the till.

Leroy had volunteered to tell Astrid. Snow didn't know what the fascination was. He should've told Mother Superior but since she got him in the car, it was all 'Astrid this' and 'Astrid that'.

Snow didn't even remember her from their world.

Grumpy took off his hat as he walked up to her,

"Sister Astrid?"

She gave him a friendly smile, "Hi."

"I have to talk to you," he lowered his head, "See, I have some bad news."

Her smile fell, "Oh, no. What is it?"

"The bad news is that… That," he turned to look at Snow and she nodded for him to continue, "… You nuns are going to be real busy making candles, cause me and Mary Margaret just sold them all. You're not losing the convent. You're not going anywhere."

Astrid squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck

Snow felt confused. What just happened?

She grabbed Leroy and pulled him to the side, "How could you tell Astrid that we sold all those candles? That is five thousand dollars, Leroy. Five thousand dollars that we don't have."

"You have it."

"Yeah, and what am I supposed to tell my husband when he realized five grand is gone?"

And to the nuns no less.

Leroy shrugged, "Tell him that you had a heart and he should try one. I hear they're nice."

Snow had to think quickly, "Do you know what happens if he finds out where that money went to?"

"His heart grows three sizes today?"

It was sort of funny, but Snow couldn't laugh, "He'll think of it as a loan and he'll put on a heavy interest. Do you want to pay a heavy interest? Because it'll be your door he knocks on. Or theirs."

She nodded to the nuns.

Leroy shook her off, "Don't worry about it, alright? I got a plan."

"What plan?" Snow scoffed, "A plan like going door to door and having everyone in town laugh in our faces?"

Grumpy shook his head, "Just give me till the end of the day. I'll figure something out."

Oh, so he didn't have a plan. That was comforting, "And why is this so important to you?"

"The nuns…," Grumpy gave a longing look to Astrid, "They're going to have to leave."

Snow didn't want to imagine them being together, but she did. How was that supposed to work, wasn't she like really really tiny in the other world? Weren't they two different species despite looking human? "Oh, my God. You like her! She is a nun, Leroy. Could you possibly pick anyone any less available?"

"Says the married girl who went after a married guy?" Leroy countered.

Snow drew back.

Leroy continued, "At the end of the day, you're no better than I am. You got your reasons for being here, I got mine. And when I say I'm going to get that five thousand dollars, I'm going to get that five thousand dollars."

"I hope your plan is better than the last one!" She whispered.

"It will be!" he told her, "Just trust me."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin had hoped for a quiet day in, away from the hustle and bustle of the streets as they prepared for celebration of their 'holiday that didn't exist'. It was supposed to be simple. Work and go home and relax. Maybe he was even going to try something different and try lying around in his underwear to see what the appeal was.

He didn't want to be at the docks looking at….oh gods, what was this? Could this even be called a boat?

"Now, I know it's a bit of a fixer-upper, could probably use a new coat of paint, a few spritzes of Febreze here and there, but you can't tell me that five thousand's not a reasonable price for this beauty."

He was halfway tempted to pay it so he could sail it out to the middle of the ocean, blow a hole in it and put it out of everyone's misery, "Three thousand, I think."

Leroy turned to him, "I need five."

"You need five?" he mocked, "To what do we owe the specificity?"

How many dinners and drinks at Granny's did that buy?

"Trying to help out a friend."

Who owed five thousand dollars? No one to him, and he'd be the only one three thousand would be owed to, "Oh, I see."

"Look, you don't even have to pay me anything. Just forgive one month's rent for the nuns."

Rumpelstiltskin had been staring at the boat and trying to think of a way to explain to Snow what he'd spend their money on. But the news of who the money would go to made him turn so fast he nearly got whiplash, "The nuns?"

Leroy realized he was in trouble because he started talking over him, "You can have the boat. They'll pay you back eventually. It's a good deal. You get everything."

He stared holes into Leroy, "So, that's what this is about."

"Come on – you're a rich guy. You can afford to give them time to make up one month's, right?

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "You're right – I could."

"So, great."

"But I won't," There was something amusing about watching one of the men that helped lock him up visibly deflate over the fact he wasn't helping the people that took his son from him, "I have a fairly specific rental agreement. If they miss a payment, I'm within my rights to evict."

"Oh, come on. Why don't you-."

"And, quite honestly," he finished, "it's going to be a great relief to be rid of such distasteful tenants."

"You don't like nuns?" Leroy demanded in disbelief, "Who doesn't like nuns?"

"Oh, I have my reasons," he nearly snarled. Even his Mr. Gold did. His alternate personality had gone to a Catholic boarding school and he had been at the wrong end of the ruler multiple times, "And they're mine. Let's just say, I have a long and complicated history with them, and leave it at that."

The dock creaked as he walked up it. Coming the other way, he saw one of the nuns walking towards the boat with a pie in her hand. He didn't know which one this was supposed to be. He never took time to remember their names when he blew them out of the air.

The nun paled when he passed her. He gave her a cold smile, "Sister. How lovely to see you!"

She swallowed nervously, "Hello Mr. Gold."

"I trust the rent will be paid on time?"

She shivered and hurried past him. Rumpelstiltskin smirked to himself and continued walking.

Well, today wasn't a total loss.

000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow didn't know where Leroy intended to get five grand, she wasn't even sure that the bank had five grand. He was going to Rumpelstiltskin, she knew he was.

Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't even let her spend five grand without pitching a fit, what made Leroy think he could get it?

The only thing Snow could do was sit there at the diner and drown her sorrows. She'd managed to blow everything away because she'd been rash and didn't think and now other people were going to have to handle the consequences.

Maybe she should've dropped out.

"I'll have what she's having."

Snow looked up hopefully at him, "Well? Did you get it?"

He sat next to her, "What do you think?"

Snow sighed and turned around, "I think you're right. I was dreaming if I thought the town harlot and the town drunk could accomplish anything."

"Yeah," he whispered and trailed off, "Just dreaming."

Snow lowered her drink, "Leroy, you understand that a relationship between you and Sister Astrid can never happen?"

WERE they the same species? Grumpy told her before the curse hit that he was technically five years old. And dwarves were born from eggs. Snow wasn't quite sure how fairies were born.

And he'd also told her that Dwarves couldn't love. Not in the romantic sense. When she asked how he'd gotten imprisoned when they met, since he claimed he got jailed for love, he'd told her it'd been a mistake.

Sure they were human now, but what happened when the curse broke? Would they all revert back?

"Yeah, yeah. My whole life people made it their business to tell me what I can't do. She was the first person that said I could do anything. Who believed in me? I didn't want to disappoint her."

Snow tilted her head, "But there are consequences to following through when the world tells you not to. I mean, look at me. I am a pariah in this town."

"What about your good memories?"

The three that she had? "What do you mean?"

Leroy leaned in curiously, "Didn't you have moments with him that you love? Do you regret them?"

"No, of course not."

"Isn't that what life's about? Holding on to your good memories? All I wanted was a moment with Astrid. One moment to give me hope that any dream's possible. You've had all that, Mary Margaret. So, stop feeling sorry for yourself and enjoy it. Because I haven't."

Snow picked up her drink, "Well, if I had the dream, I'm sorry to say, it wasn't worth it."

"And sitting here drinking won't end this pain."

"What will?"

"I can only think of one thing."

00000000000000000000000000000000

When Snow turned around at the coat rack and found Leroy gone, she thought that maybe he'd gone through the back and she went to look for him. If they were going to face the fact that they'd failed, they might as well face it together.

But then she found the door to the roof open and she climbed up and prayed that she was wrong about what she thought she might find.

Nope, Leroy stood there at the edge.

She felt terror for her friend and stood up, "Leroy! What are you doing? Please, don't do it!"

Leroy looked insulted, "I'm not going to jump."

"You're not?"

"No, are you crazy? I could hit someone. You know how much damage I could do? I'm solidly built."

He patted his belly to emphasize his point.

"Leroy, what are you doing up here?" Snow asked as she climbed up.

He picked up his pickaxe, "I'm going to get my moment."

She held up her hand, "Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What?"

"You might want to duck."

Snow moved back several paces as he swung the pick axe and hit the transformer. Sparks flew, Snow watched as the lights under her went a few seconds later.

"What are you doing?" she asked, but she knew the answer.

She could hear the smile in his voice, "I'm selling candles, sister."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The booth was already crowded by the time they got down there. They had to fight their way through the crowd to get it. It was almost like a mob and more hands with money were being held out than Snow had ever seen at a Miner's Day festival. Keeping up was a chore.

Fifteen minutes later, Snow turned to get some more from under her feet and only found empty boxes.

She stood up and grabbed Leroy's shoulder, "Leroy. We sold out."

Leroy let out a victorious cheer and nearly lifted her up in an embrace. She returned it, thankful to have at least one of her friends at her side.

He looked over to Astrid.

Snow smiled a bit and nudged him, "Well, go on – give her the news. Have your moment."

He took the moneybox and left the booth.

Maybe there were some things that Snow didn't need Emma's help on.

She used one of the boxes to draw a 'sold out' sign and blew out the last remaining candle that they used to see what they were doing. She picked it up and walked to her car. People were still milling about, but Snow was tired. She wanted to go home and go to her bed.

She stopped and looked at the faded 'Tramp' spray-painted on her vehicle.

Snow might be the hero today, but tomorrow everyone would remember how she had broken apart a marriage. The shunning would continue.

Snow turned around and walked away. The house wasn't far. She didn't want to drive around with that on the side of her car tonight; she didn't want to remind them now. Leroy got his moment; she wanted to have a bit of one as well. Even if that moment was just about people leaving her alone for what she did.

Granny stopped her as she started to pass by. She took Snow's candle and relit it. Snow gave her a small smile and continued on her way.

They'd forgive her tonight, but they'd remember tomorrow. And if not then they'd all know what she was a part of when it came to Kathryn Nolan once the curse broke.

It was the thought that Snow had just as she looked up and saw Emma putting David Nolan in her car.


	16. Red Handed

The house was cold when Snow came in. The lights weren't on yet, Snow knew that because Rumpelstiltskin liked having the hall lights on so he didn't fall over something in the dark.

The living room had a fire going, but everything was dark.

"Ah!" Rumpelstiltskin greeted her, "Well, it's cold outside and so it'll be cold in here until the electricity kicks back on. The couch here folds out and I started a fire. If we put pillows between each other then it shouldn't be so weird." 

Snow blinked, "What?"

"Well, if that makes you uncomfortable, I could ask Emma if she wants to share while you get the other couch but I'm not sure that will benefit me should I bring it up to her."

"Um…," Snow shook her head, "I'm…not sure Emma's coming home soon."

"Oh?" he grinned lecherously, "Someone strike it rich on Miner's Day?" 

"Rumpelstiltskin!" she scolded angrily, "This isn't a joke! Emma took David in!"

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Okay?"

"What if she accuses him? What if-."

"There is nothing that links Charming to Kathryn Nolan's disappearance."

"There will be if Regina makes sure there is. Everything hinges on her framing me."

"No it doesn't," Rumpelstiltskin lay down on the foldout couch and opened a newspaper, "The plan will still work if it's with Charming or if it's with you."

"Hey, we tell each other if the plan changed," Snow snapped, "You didn't even tell me that you'd apprehended Kathryn."

"Well, you were running all around town avoiding me and playing 'Happy Nun Helper'."

"I wasn't trying to avoid you!"

"Yes, you were trying to get your reputation back for all the fake townspeople."

"Is she okay?" Snow demanded.

"A little drugged, but was breathing the last time I checked on her."

Snow closed her eyes. The guilt washed over her and she felt like she was going to be sick. She hadn't slept when they agreed to do this. Snow was terrified that Kathryn was going to get hurt, but at the time she had been scared about Regina closing in on them and desperate to get her off the scent so they could have a little bit longer to work.

"Rumpelstiltskin? I think-."

"Snow, oh don't tell me you're not having second thoughts." 

"This isn't right." 

"I don't operate in a 'right' matter."

"She's innocent."

"Snow, she won't die," he sat on the edge of the bed, "Doing what's good and right and playing by fair rules isn't going to get Regina removed."

"Ruining a woman's life is?"

"Her life isn't going to be ruined, Snow. She'll have played a part in getting a dangerous woman removed from her throne."

"Because a dangerous man took her off it." 

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Well, our savior isn't exactly making waves."

"I thought you were cautious about interfering in weakening curses that Emma is supposed to weaken."

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "But I know what I'm doing. You do not. You want the curse weak so you can sneak under the bridge for a snog with your husband. I want it broken because-."

He stopped, Snow tilted her head, "Because what?"

"Oh dearie dear, if we play our cards right, then Regina will be in jail by the end of the week. It's perfect."

"It's wrong."

"Well, it's also too late to protest because Kathryn Nolan is safe in my hands." 

"Safe," Snow spat.

"Do you know where we found her?" he asked, "She was headed to the town border. Her bags were packed. Yeah, I saved her life. You may thank me now."

"There could be a better way."

"She won't be horribly traumatized!" Rumpelstiltskin said in frustration.

"I'm not sure you have the authority to decide on what's horribly traumatizing or not," Snow pulled on her knit cap, "I'm going for a walk." 

"So, I trust I'm getting the couch that does not fold out since we're fighting?"

Snow slammed the door behind her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

The lights came on when Rumpelstiltskin was staring at the dark ceiling and it about blinded him. It was sort of disappointing. Pitch black with a warm fire lighting the room had an eerie peaceful feel that made him feel both exposed and boxed in at the same time.

Well, it was fun while it lasted, now he could look forward to going to sleep in his real bed and not have to worry about Emma and Snow whispering together like a couple of girls.

Those women were going to drive him up the wall.

He still couldn't believe that Emma microwaved her tea and had more coats and boots than she did shirts. How was that civilized?

And gods, she got up early to curl her hair. She took forever in there.

He was getting his things together when the door opened and Ruby walked in with Snow and Emma.

"Oh gods, what is this?" he asked in a panic.

Ruby tilted her head, "I didn't know you were polytheistic."

Snow walked forward, "This is Ruby…she's going to be staying with us for a few days."

Rumpelstiltskin was screaming in horror inside. But he covered it up with a vicious smirk, "I wasn't aware the pair of legs came with a name."

"Rump- ELIAS!" Snow scolded as Ruby blushed.

"Everyone, calm down," Emma pulled off her jacket and didn't so much 'hang it' as she threw it on the coat rack. It made Rumpelstiltskin bristle, "It's been a long night, I'm going to bed."

Emma trudged up the stairs.

Snow grabbed Rumpelstiltskin and pulled him to the next room, "We found her standing at the bus stop being approached by Whale."

He shrugged.

"This could be the chance to weaken the curse some more."

"I'm sure the girl time you're looking forward to is going to radically alter the curse," he muttered. Gods, three women? Two were a handful!

"Well, I couldn't leave my best friend out there."

"You're right," he muttered and headed for his room, "I'm going to the Inn."

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Snow said through clenched teeth.

"Nope! One thing Elias and I agree on, it's that we like our tranquility. You're not so bad but Emma's a bull in a bloody china shop and Ruby doesn't look to be any better. So I'll stay away until you do whatever it is that the women in this world do when they're all together and she's gone…. but if you change around my house I will turn you all into toads, so help me gods."

Snow whispered his name again but he ignored her. He had a room to reserve.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow didn't know how long she walked outside but when she went the route that Emma would come to get home she didn't find her.

Instead, she found her walking from the opposite way. Snow realized that Emma might've wondered around to clear her head…and she MIGHT want to be alone for some more 'Emma' time, but Snow needed to make sure her husband wasn't in trouble, "Is he okay? David?"

Emma looked a bit startled, but recovered quickly, "Oh, yeah. He's a little shaken up, but he's headed home. He's fine."

Snow shoved her hands in her pockets, "Any word from Kathryn?"

"Nothing new."

Snow felt that crushing guilt. She could come clean to Emma right now, but what would that get her? Kathryn would be saved and she and Rumpelstiltskin would be imprisoned and Regina would kill them, "D-Did you check with Boston again?"

Emma looked somewhere between apologetic and irritated, "She's not there, Mary Margaret."

Snow tried to be careful at the prying, but she had to know Emma's mindset, "So, we have no idea what happened to her?"

"All we know, is that she found out about you two, gave you a well-deserved slap, and then disappeared."

Snow cringed, "Well-deserved? Do you really believe that?"

Emma shook her head, "No. I'm just preparing you for what everyone else is going to think. You two are going to look bad until we figure the truth out."

Snow had to find out what if Emma suspected him, "You mean David? Th-That people are going to think in order to…, be free with me…"

"Some are. And, he's not doing himself any favors. So, if there's anything you could think of to pin down his whereabouts that night-."

Oh gods, she was suspecting him! Snow needed to cover for him but the lie would be dismantled in seconds when Emma looked into it. She had to tell the truth, "He wasn't with me. We really are through."

They both stopped talking as they approached Ruby talking with someone. Snow only had to see the back of his head to know who it was, "Dr. Whale?"

He turned quickly, "Mary Margaret. Emma. Hello there."

Snow watched them carefully. Whale was interested in Ruby? Since when? "Hey."

He looked at all three of them, "I was just having a talk with Ruby here. But, I should, um…"

"Yeah," Emma warned with one of those smiles that wasn't really a smile, "Yeah, you should."

"Yeah…," he scampered off

Snow checked her friend over, "Was he bothering you?"

"The day I can't handle a lech is the day I leave town," Ruby assured, "Which this is, I guess."

Emma looked worried, "You're leaving?"

Ruby shifted, "I had a fight with Granny. Quit my job."

Snow blinked and looked up at the sign above her and saw it was a bus sign, "You quit? Where you going?"

"I don't know," Ruby shrugged, "Away."

Emma gave her a gentle smile, "Yeah, well, buses out of town don't really happen. And, you might want a destination first."

Ruby's face fell and Snow was quick to step in. If Ruby was out there…anything could happen. But if she was with them, then she'd be safe and Emma could convince her to make it right with her grandmother. She needed to find the self confidence that she was lacking for 28 years, "Hey, if you need a place to figure things out, you could always come home with us."

Emma nearly fell over and gave a dubious look to Snow, "Yeah, uh. Yeah. Just for a little while."

The hopeful look on Ruby's face was just like it was in the old days and Snow felt excited. Her friend and Emma's godmother was going to be staying with them.

She put her arms around Ruby, "Come on."

"Mr. Gold isn't going to be happy about this," Emma whispered to where only Snow could hear.

"I don't care, it's my house too," Snow reminded her.

"Yeah, but we have to hear him."

"Three beautiful women in his house? He might like it."

"As long as we don't have Whale staring in the window wondering where he went wrong."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When Snow got up the next morning (after half the night being spent gleefully chatting with Ruby in the living room), she had one of Rumpelstiltskin's little minions keep an eye on David to make sure that Emma didn't take him in.

And then she got a call that David was headed out into the woods. She had to follow him to make sure that he wasn't going to do something stupid. If Emma thought he was going to the crime scene…

He wasn't supposed to be involved in this…at all.

She drove out into the wood, it was raining a little bit, she brought her umbrella to keep dry.

Gods, she must look a sight. Tramping through the woods in an outfit that wasn't woods attire in her little fancy umbrella.

She didn't go very far before she heard the rustling of a brush nearby. Snow tensed, Emma had told her that Graham and she had seen a wolf before he died. No one had seen it since.

Someone burst through the nearby brush. Snow jumped and then sighed with Relief when she saw that it was David, "David, I-it's you. You okay? You're looking for Kathryn, too?"

He didn't seem to be looking at her, more like he was looking THROUGH her, "I'm looking."

Snow tried to think of something to say, "She knows you didn't do anything. Emma, I mean. She can tell when people are lying, so… She knows. And I'll stand with you. I'll tell everyone this isn't possible. She's going to turn up somewhere. That's why we're out here, right?"

Nothing in his eyes changed, neither did anything in his expression and she felt herself tense, "I'm looking."

"David?"

He turned and stumbled back into the woods

"David? David!" She called but he didn't indicate that he heard her, "Oh gods, really?"

Snow didn't know how she didn't get into an accident in the race to the sheriff's office, but somehow she hit every green light and there wasn't a lot of traffic about.

She didn't WANT to do this, it would just make him look suspicious and Emma would arrest him…but something was wrong. She couldn't take him there by himself.

Ruby was leaving as she was coming in, "Hey! Lunch, Mary Margaret? I'm getting for everyone."

It took a second for Snow to process what she said, "Uh, no. I'm not hungry."

She waited for Ruby to leave before she rushed up to Emma, "David's in the woods. There's something wrong with him. He looked right through me. It's like… It's like he was a different person."

Emma blinked, "What?" 

"I don't know how to explain it-, one minute he was there and the next, he- You should get a search party. I don't think he was in control."

"Yeah, I'll just make a few calls."

"Wait!" Snow grabbed her and tried to think fast, "No, too many people will ruin the trial and it's about to get dark, there won't be time. Take Ruby with you."

"Ta- what?"

"Yeah, her senses are…better than anyone I've seen, Emma. You have to trust me." 

"Just one person." 

"She'll find him," Snow promised, "Just…make sure he's safe. Something is wrong."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When David called her to meet with him, Snow was reluctant at first. She wanted to make sure things were okay but she didn't want to be near him because of the feelings that she felt.

He told her when she arrived that it was some sort of side effect of the coma. He admitted to blackouts and Snow realized that this would make him look even more suspicious and the original plan was about to go sideways, "David, it's going to be okay."

"Really? How do you know that? Because, I honestly can't say anything about my actions anymore."

Snow searched for something to say, "Well, there has to be an explanation."

David clenched his hands so tightly that his knuckles were white. "You're right. But the problem is, I don't think it's a good one."

They both looked up as Emma walked through the door. David stood up quickly, "What is it? Did you find her?"

Emma looked at Snow and then at him, "We found a box."

"Wait… Wait… What does that mean?" David asked.

Emma looked down, "We think it… We think that she…"

"What?" David asked cautiously.

Emma paled, "There was a human heart inside it."

Snow had to sit down, "Oh, my god."

David collapsed in the chair. He put his hands over his mouth and broke down in tears, "No. No."

Emma swallowed, "We're going to send it out for some tests, but there aren't any other missing people."

Snow put her hands on David's shoulders, "Maybe you should go…until there's evidence to arrest him."

Emma didn't move, "There's more."

David looked up, "What?"

"There were fingerprints inside the lid of the box. I ran them through the records of everyone in town, and there was a match."

David stood, "Arrest me."

"No," Snow stood up. This couldn't happen; he couldn't be in trouble for a murder that wasn't even a murder. Emma would have him taken away and he'd be taken to the town border, "David!"

"Arrest me, Emma. Do it!"

Snow had to tell Emma the truth. She had to protect her husband.

"David, the fingerprints weren't yours," Emma told them.

"What?" David asked.

Emma refused to look at either one of them "They were Mary Margaret's."

Snow felt the air leave her lungs.

What had Rumpelstiltskin done?


	17. Heart of Darkness

The news about the heart spread faster than the news about Snow's little affair with what was left of her husband. Rumpelstiltskin was the first to hear it because Sidney Glass boldly walked into his office and asked what he felt about the idea that his wife was a murderess who cut hearts out of women.

Rumpelstiltskin drove to the summer house just to make sure that Kathryn Nolan was alive. He was relieved to, in fact, find out she was.

And then, he had to go see Snow.

What had she done? He'd known that she was extremely worried about David getting thrown into the cage and not her, but surely this was a little much. Shoving a heart in the dirt and hoping for the best? Where did she get it? Regina's vault? No one would believe in magic yet, so to them it would just look like a still beating heart when to those like him and Snow, it would be wildly beating.

Woman, that went against the plan!

He walked into the station, prepared to give her an earful. She was curled up on the mattress when he came in.

Emma jumped up as soon as she saw him. She rushed forward, "You can't be here right now."

It was gentle and sympathetic but it was firm.

"Please sheriff," he made sure his voice was meek and he tried to look worried, "Just a few moments. She's my wife and I imagine…I'm about to be her lawyer."

Emma looked exhausted. Like she'd aged several years in one evening, "You're a lawyer?"

She already knew that of course, being in the same house with him but he imagined that there were so many things going on that his false occupation was the last thing she thought about.

"Well, she doesn't need a lawyer yet," Emma said, "Listen, this could save her life…when Mr. French broke into your house, did he take that jewelry box?"

Oh gods, it was tempting to put the blame on Moe. To set him up after what he did to Belle. But he had to stick with the plan, and Emma was zeroing in on him in such a way that she'd know he was lying.

"No."

That bothered Emma.

"But the door was open for a long time, anyone could've come in," he told her simply.

"It's still circumstantial," Emma muttered, "And considering your recent…temper tantrum over what Mr. French did, I'm guessing there haven't been any other break ins because if there had been, Kathryn Nolan wouldn't be the first mission person, now would she?"

He smirked, "Those deductive skills are precisely why you're the sheriff."

Emma glowered at him. Somewhere in that statement was an insult and she knew it, "She's all yours."

He walked forward and Emma cleared her throat.

"What?"

"You should know that I'm moving out…just for a few days until this is solved. I can't look partial. Regina would jump at the chance to get me fired."

"Yes, I think that would be best."

Emma walked back to her office with a nod and he turned back to Snow. She was already sitting up and she was already glaring at him, "What did you do?"

Rumpelstiltskin blinked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"We had a plan, and if you're going to change that plan then you have to tell me!"

He looked behind him to make sure Emma couldn't hear, "You think "I" put that heart there? At a bridge on the off chance that Emma would go there? Snow, what sort of puppet master do you think I am?"

"I know exactly what sort of puppet master you are!"

Well, that was a fair point.

"So you think that I walk around cutting hearts out of people?"

Snow raised an eyebrow.

"Kathryn Nolan is FINE," he promised her, "And it wasn't me that put that heart there. I'm sticking to what we agreed on; we get you in jail, you slip away before Regina has you sent away, and we hide you in Jefferson's house. Emma searches for you while I move Kathryn Nolan to a place where Emma can find her and it all comes back on Regina after she's tried so hard to get you to take the fall. THAT'S our plan."

Snow looked confused, "So, it's not you."

"I had nothing to do with this heart business; I thought you did to protect David."

Snow looked sick, "I didn't!"

He nodded, "Regina then."

Snow cringed and put her face in her hands, "Gods."

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her, "This could be to our benefit."

"How?"

"The plan can still work, we'll just have to accelerate it now that it's obvious a murder took place" he told her, "We can still do this and believe it or not, this is to our benefit. If Regina's trying this hard to set you up then it'll be a spectacular fall from grace when it's obvious that she was framing you. Regina overplayed her hand dearie, we can get her now."

Snow rubbed her arms for warmth, "Okay."

"Okay," he told her and looked behind her at the empty cell, "Would you like me to bring you anything? Better pillows? Warmer blanket?"

"No," she sounded a bit more broken when she realized that she was going to spend the night there, "But would you…would you bring me a change of clothes tomorrow?"

He nodded, "Of course. I'll bring you some warm breakfast too, would you like that?"

Snow smiled, "Thank you."

He reached through the bars and took her hand, "This will work."

Any warmth quickly left her face, and she looked scared, "I hope so."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Snow really wished that she'd taken Rumpelstiltskin up on his offer to let her have a warmer blanket and more comfortable pillows because she did not sleep.

Snow wasn't sure that she would have slept WITH a more comfortable environment.

Emma waited until the next morning to process Snow. Snow cringed as she stood in front of the camera and tried not to cry in front of Emma.

Things were worse now. Rumpelstiltskin thought it was great but Snow could know that in a matter of seconds, it could all go sideways and she'd be in a major amount of trouble.

"Please turn to the right," Emma told her.

Snow gave a pleading look to her daughter, "Emma, this is a mistake. I didn't kill Kathryn."

Emma gave her a sympathetic look. Ever since she'd arrested her, Emma did her best to be good to Snow, "Of course you didn't. But, while I am your friend, I am also the Sheriff. And I have to go where the evidence leads."

Even though this was what she wanted, Snow couldn't help but see the hypocrisy in that statement, "Which points to me? Emma, yesterday it was David. There's something not right here."

Emma walked forward, "I know. But, your fingerprints were on that box, and his are not. So, now we have to deal with this."

Snow nodded, "Evidence that says I cut out Kathryn's heart…and buried it in the woods. This is insane."

Emma put her hand on her shoulder and led her back to another room, "If I don't book you, with all this evidence, it's going to look like favoritism. And then, Regina will have cause and she will fire me. And then, you know what she'll do? She'll bring in someone who will railroad you. So, please – just try to be patient and trust me. We can't even move forward till we verify the heart belonged to Kathryn. And I am still waiting for the DNA test results. But, in the meantime, you need to bear with me. I have to ask you a few questions."

Snow followed her, "This is crazy. I would never hurt anyone."

Just use Rumpelstiltskin to do what he felt needed to be done.

Emma led her into a room that looked like it had doubled as a storage room over the years.

Regina turned around with a smirk. Snow nearly jumped backwards when she saw the cold maliciousness in her eyes, "Hello, Mrs. Gold"

Snow let out a panicked breath, "What is she doing here?"

Emma didn't look like she liked this anymore than Snow did, "She asked to be here as a third party to make sure that I stay impartial. It can only help you."

Regina being here didn't help anyone unless Rumpelstiltskin could twist this around to make her guilty, "I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything."

Regina's eyes narrowed so slightly.

Emma turned on the tape recorder and gave them both an uncomfortable look, "The heart was found buried near the old Toll Bridge. It had been cut out by what appears to be a hunting knife. Have you ever been to that bridge before?"

Snow nodded, "Yes, many times. It's where David and I liked to meet."

Emma got up and walked to the small locker on the other side of the room, "Mr. Nolan."

"Yes."

Emma pulled on her gloves, "And, you met there… For what purpose?"

Snow drew in a breath, "We were having an affair. I'm not proud of what happened, and I'm sorry. But that doesn't change the fact that I did not kill Kathryn."

"Have you ever seen this before?" Emma placed Mary Margaret's jewelry box in front of Snow. It'd used to have jewelry worth thousands of dollars; loving gifts from a loving husband. Snow hadn't even looked at it since she woke up. It was in the main bedroom and Snow could count on one hand how many times she'd gone into that room.

"Yes, it's my jewelry box."

"That's what we found the heart in," Emma said grimly.

Snow looked at Regina and then quickly at Emma, "Don't you see what's happening here? Someone stole that box and put the heart in it. I didn't have anything to do with it. I'm innocent!"

Regina's gaze darkened just briefly and that's all Snow needed to know to confirm she had everything to do with this, "Mrs. Gold, its okay. I know what you're going through. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. To be publicly humiliated. It put me in a very dark place. Changed me. I can only imagine what losing David Nolan did to you."

Snow stared down Regina. How dare she claim that she had been publicly humiliated when she had done everything she could to ruin Snow's life intentionally, "I did not do this."

Emma looked at Regina, "Can I speak to you in the hallway, please?"

They both left the room, Emma closed the door but it wasn't all the way.

"I told you to leave the questioning to me," she heard Emma snap.

"How do you know she didn't do it? If that box was stolen from her as she claims, don't you think there'd be signs of a break in? Or that it would've been listed when their house WAS broken into considering she's a well off woman and the jewelry would've been the first thing she looked at or at the very least her husband would've checked since he bought it. Well, you're her roommate – tell me. Has there been a break in? She is a woman who's had her heart broken, and that… That can make you do unspeakable things."

Snow clutched her hands together so tightly that her knuckles were white. She realized that she was shaking.

Regina took her family from her and she was all but gloating about it.

Emma came in, "We have to take you back to your cell, Mary Margaret."

Snow wordlessly followed Emma and stayed quiet until she got in her cell.

And when Emma went to her office, she hugged her pillow and sobbed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0

Snow spent the afternoon napping and her dreams were plagued with nightmares about losing Emma and losing Charming. And then Emma came into the room and told her worse news.

A hunting knife had been found in her heating vent.

Regina was really trying to get her framed and out of the way.

"The heating vent? Emma, I don't even know where the heating vent in my bedroom is!"

Emma stood there with her arms crossed, "Well, someone did, and they put a hunting knife in there. I checked for signs of a break in, but there weren't any."

"When Mr. French broke in-."

"The jewelry box and the jewelry wasn't reported, it's going to look like you used that break in to cover up the murder."

Snow felt her heart sink, "You don't believe me."

Emma looked hurt, "Of course I do. But what I think doesn't matter. The evidence is piling up by the hour."

Snow rested her forehead on the bars, "Okay, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, you should think about hiring a lawyer."

"An excellent idea," Rumpelstiltskin said from the entrance of the sheriff station.

Emma scowled and turned, "Here to offer your legal services now?"

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "I think you'd be well-advised to bring me on as your counsel, darling."

"You're married to her, can you even do that?" Emma demanded.

"Well, as I'm the only lawyer in this town, I don't see any reason why I can't," he smiled at Snow, "I don't need to remind you dear, that the Sheriff had me arrested for nearly beating a man to death, and I managed to persuade the judge to drop the charges."

Snow shuddered; Moe French was still in the hospital.

Emma glared, "Asserting your influence isn't what's needed here. We need to find the truth."

"Exerting influence may be exactly what's needed here."

"What's needed here, is for me to do my job," Emma snapped.

"Well, no one's stopping you," he replied equally as testy, "I'm only here to help."

"Enough," Snow snapped, "Please go."

Emma continued to glare at Rumpelstiltskin, "You heard her."

Snow shook her head, "No, I was talking to you. Oh, Emma, he's right. I need help. And you need to do your job, or else I'm screwed. So, just please – do your job the best you can, and you'll prove me innocent. Until you do, I need some practical help."

Rumpelstiltskin practically slithered up to Emma, "Trust me. This is in my wife's best interest."

"Good luck, Mary Margaret," Emma turned and gave a pointed look to Rumpelstiltskin, "I hope your best interests are what he's looking out for.

He gave an amused smile as she stormed away and returned to her office.

"I'm not sure my stepdaughter likes me all that much, dearie."

Snow wrapped her arms around herself, she didn't have time for his games, "Regina was there during the interrogation."

He grew serious, "I know. I heard."

Snow looked down.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Snow looked up, "She was there, Rumpelstiltskin, she was trying to make herself out to be the victim."

"You know, she isn't, right?" he leaned forward, "If you hadn't told Cora about Daniel then she would've still found out. She would've hunted them down. And even if it was your fault…what she's done to your family has crossed a line."

Snow looked up, "Would you believe that if she hadn't forced us together?"

"Oh, I'd still believe it," he told her, "I just probably wouldn't say it out loud."

Snow smiled a little, "We have to accelerate everything, now Emma's saying she found what could be the murder weapon."

"Yes, I heard about that too," he told her seriously, "It has to be tonight."

"Jefferson knows?"

"He'll be waiting to pick you up at the road leading to his house."

"Okay," Snow nodded.

"Good luck," he whispered, "It won't be long now."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

That evening, Snow sat on the edge of the bed with the skeleton key in her hands that Regina planted.

Just wait for everyone to go to sleep and go meet Jefferson. He would take her in and watch over her until the curse broke. Rumpelstiltskin had told her not to show her face until then because she'd be a fugitive and Emma would have to press charges.

How long would that be? Not being able to see or speak with her daughter.

The idea made Snow hug herself. She'd already been separated from Emma once; she didn't want to be separated again.

"Mary Margaret?"

Snow looked up and quickly pocketed the key when she saw her visitor, "David."

He crept forward, "Emma said we could have a few minutes alone. I wanted to tell you, that Dr. Hopper helped me remember what happened during my blackouts."

Snow smiled, maybe those blackouts were his real memories peeking through, "And?"

He looked down, "Uh, I… I only, um, got pieces of the memory, but… We were in the woods, and I kept saying, 'don't do it'."

Snow tiled her head, "Don't do what?"

"Don't kill her. That's what I kept saying."

"Kathryn?" Snow asked in confusion, "You think you remember me wanting to kill Kathryn?"

He gave her an angry look, "Can you explain why I have that memory?"

Gods, no. He had an actual memory alright, but he was interpreting it all wrong, "David? Are you asking me if I had something to do with Kathryn's murder?"

"The Sheriff found a heart in our spot. It was in your jewelry box. The weapon was found in your apartment. And I have these… These memories. So, yes, I'm asking."

Did he really think she was capable of…?

Snow felt the tears start to fall. She'd been through many betrayals in her life but this was the worst, "When your phone records came back, when I found you wandering in the woods, when everyone thought you killed Kathryn, I stood by you. I never once doubted you. And, now that everything is pointing to me, you actually think I am capable of that kind of evil?"

He was quiet and Snow felt the hurt and the grief dissolve into anger, "Get. Out."

He turned to leave and she collapsed on the bed.

No one here supported her but Rumpelstiltskin and Emma.

She was leaving.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Every heartbeat hurt as Snow lay there as the evening wore on.

She'd never thought that David would turn against her. Of all people, she'd hoped that the connection he'd felt with her was enough to make him stand by her.

It wasn't.

Emma came in an hour later. In her hands was a bag from Granny's and a coffee, "Hey. Dinner."

Snow accepted it, "Thanks.'

She didn't have the appetite for any dinner. She quietly walked over to the bed and sat back down.

Emma leaned against the bars, "I know Mr. Gold doesn't want us to talk, but I thought you should hear this from me. The test results came back on the heart… And the DNA was a match for Kathryn. She's dead."

Snow cringed but she still stared ahead.

This could only be for their benefit. It would only further indict Regina

I'm sorry – for a lot of things. But, now that we have proof of the death, we have enough evidence to move forward with a case against you. It's going to happen. You know I do believe you, right?"

Snow managed a nod, "Yeah."

Snow's eyes filled with tears, "All this evidence tells me one thing for certain – that you are being framed. And I think Regina's behind it."

Snow turned to her daughter, "Then why am I still in here? Why don't you confront her?"

"Because, belief is not proof."

"But you just said-"

"If I don't do this right, things will end up worse for you," Emma told her, using the exactly same logic that Snow had been using to protect her own family, "Every time I've gone up against Regina, she's seen it coming, and I've lost."

"So, what makes this time any different?"

"Because she doesn't know I suspect anything."

Yes, this was the same logic that Snow had been using to justify the things she'd done.

"I don't know why she's doing this to you, but I'm going to find out. And I promise, I won't stop until I expose what she's up to."

"And how are you going to do that?" Snow asked in an almost defeated tone, "This is her town."

"I'm working on it, I have faith in you. And now, I need you to have faith in me," Emma grabbed her mother's hand, "Can you do that?"

Snow wished that she could have faith in her daughter but Emma wanted to play by the rules like they did. Regina wouldn't. So unless Emma took this further than she was willing to go…then Regina was going to win.

So she couldn't rely on Emma, she had to rely on herself and Rumpelstiltskin.

But Emma was here. She was about to start crying and she needed someone to believe in her and have faith in her. And Snow believed that Emma could save them, but she couldn't save Snow from this.

So Snow lied, "Of course."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

Rumpelstiltskin had expected Emma to come to him for help the minute she found that knife in the heating vent.

He just hadn't expected her to take all day about it. He was checking over some things in the back before he went home for the night.

He had to admit that now that Emma and Snow weren't in the house and he didn't know when he'd see either of them again, there was a part of him that was going to miss them. It was too quiet already without Emma's constant clomping around in her boots.

"Mr. Gold," Emma found him that evening.

He gave her a warm smile and went to sit down with the genie lamp in her hands, "Just taking inventory. What can I do for you, Miss Swan? Any developments in the case I should be aware of?"

"Yes. Regina set her up."

He scoffed, finally his little Miss Emma Swan was coming around, "And this surprises you? Show me your evidence, and we'll get this over with immediately."

Emma leaned forward, "Yeah, that's the thing. There isn't any. Anything that's court-worthy. But I know it now."

He smirked, "Look who's suddenly become a woman of faith. Why are you here, Miss Swan? To spin conspiracy theories?"

Emma looked disgusted, "I need help."

He put his hands to his chest and smirked just so she knew how rich he found that, "From me?"

"Every time I've gone up against Regina, I've lost. Except for once, when I became Sheriff. When you helped."

"As I recall, you don't exactly approve of my methods," he gleefully reminded her.

"I approve of your results. And this time, I have something more important than a job. I need to save my friend."

And lifted up the magnifying glass, "And you're willing to go as far as it takes?"

Emma nodded, "Farther."

He grinned coldly, "Now we're talking."

And he saw Emma realize that she might've made a mistake.

"Fear not, Miss Swan," he told her comfortingly, "Regina may be powerful, but something tells me you're more powerful than you know."

He saw the doubt in Emma's eyes but he ignored it.

She would know what she was capable of soon.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow wasn't wearing the right shoes for walking through the woods to the road that she needed to get to in order to meet Jefferson. So by the time Snow met him at the car, she was limping.

"Hey," Jefferson got out of the car as soon as she cleared the brush.

"Hey," Snow greeted.

Jefferson wrapped his arms around Snow and she quickly returned it.

"Oh Jefferson," she whispered, "Everything's gone insane and I don't know who I am anymore"

"Shhh," he wrapped his arms around her and walked her to the car, "Let's get you somewhere warm and you can tell me about it."


	18. Hat Trick

The thing about Jefferson was that he always wanted to make sure that Snow was comfortable. If she was comfortable then it meant that she'd stay longer and chat with him. Snow had always tried her best to make sure that whatever extra time she had, it was spent calling him up and making sure he was okay. Of course, that time talking to him went longer than Snow anticipated; he was desperate for someone to be with.

And now, he was getting his wish. And he was treating her delicately to make sure he didn't unsettle her. He had….very sudden mood swings where he'd be very excited and then quickly depressed. He was trying to do better but they still happened.

"He thought I cut her heart out," Snow swiped a tear from her eyed, "He thought I was capable of it." 

"It's the curse, Snow." 

"The curse that's weakening?!" she demanded, "He's not controlled like Graham was. He can think for himself, he knows what he's doing and he should know that I'm not brutal enough to do something so evil."

"Just brutal enough to know about an innocent woman being taken," Jefferson pointed out and sipped his tea.

Snow drew her legs up, "I know I'm horrible, but I'm not brutal. What I did was bad but that doesn't make me…evil, does it?" 

"I don't think so. Sometimes we have to do bad things to get good results. Anyway, you've spent months with the Dark One as a husband; it would surprise no one if you went slightly darker than what you normally were."

"But I'm better than this! I know what I'm doing is wrong and I'm doing it anyway."

"So, your daughter can believe and Regina will get what's coming to her. That's not all that bad, is it?"

"Jefferson, please stop trying to justify it. I'm wrong and we both know it."

"For the right outcome, how long will it be before your daughter believes if you played by the rules of good? From I understand? Years and years. And some of us don't want to wait that long, we've wasted enough time already."

Snow nodded, "Yeah, I know." 

Jefferson grew distant and he looked at her like he was looking past her, "Do you think Emma could get me my daughter back?"

"I'm not sure it would work, Jefferson."

"It worked for those twins that she nearly had to take out of town." 

"Because their false memories did state that he was. Grace has a father for better or worse-." 

Jefferson's expression darkened, "He's not her father." 

"She thinks he is."

Jefferson grabbed the tea tray with a little more force than he anticipated, "It's cold, I'm going to get more."

Snow sat there by the fire and wondered if maybe she'd overstepped her bounds. She never meant to hurt him, but sometimes he thought Emma was capable of more than she actually was.

When he returned, he put the warm tea down in front of her and gave her the cup he already filled, "Emma could do it, if I explained it to her."

"I don't think so," Snow told him, "She's not going to just suddenly believe because you tell her it's real. Her son has told her it's real but she won't' listen." 

"But if two people confirm it, then-." 

"A hundred people could tell her it's true. She wouldn't listen."

"She would if I told her. If I told her about being separated from my daughter. She's separated from Henry, she can identify with that." 

"She could but it doesn't mean it'll happen." 

"I could do it," he insisted.

Snow wished that was true, but she knew that Emma would need more.

Her head bobbed and she struggled to upright it. Jefferson grew blurry in her sight and she blinked and swayed.

Oh gods, what had he done?

"Jeffer-," she looked up and felt herself falling forward.

Jefferson rushed in front of her and caught her, "Whoa."

"What-," she felt her tongue not working.

"I have to," he whispered, "I have to get Grace back and you'll just stop me if I bring Emma here. I can't do this anymore Snow. It's not right that Regina's isolated me so much that I have to wait by the phone in hopes that you or Rumpelstiltskin call just to talk and it still not be enough. "

"Jeffers-."

He pulled her against his chest and buried his face in her hair, "Please, forgive me Snow. I'm so sorry."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

There was no doubt that he had Emma the minute she agreed to let him do what it took to save Snow. There was a freedom given to him now that allowed him to do whatever he wanted and she couldn't say anything because now she gave him permission.

As long as Snow did her part of the deal.

Emma didn't talk to him on the drive back. He saw in her eyes that she was already regretting how far she'd agreed to go. She was probably mentally kicking herself already.

Her son was sitting in the hallway when they arrived. It was late, where was Regina?

"Henry. What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"I came to congratulate you!" Henry smiled

"For what?" Emma asked with her arms crossed.

"Your genius plan," Henry said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

It worked. She was gone. Rumpelstiltskin smiled, "And what plan's that, Henry?"

A look of dread crossed Henry's face and he stared down at his feet.

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged and continued forward, "Nice."

He ignored the chat between mother and son and continued forward. Like he expected, the cell door was open and the cell was empty. She'd even made the bed, wasn't that nice of her?

He let a beat pass, "Sheriff, could you join me, please?"

Emma and her son followed, "She's gone."

Emma looked both stunned and horrified, "Henry, what did you do?"

"Nothing," Henry protested as Emma rushed forward, "She was gone when I got here."

Rumpelstiltskin tried to hide his smirk, "Her arraignment's tomorrow. If she's not there…"

Emma stood in the cell. Like if she stood in the middle of it, then she could process that it was now empty, "She's a fugitive. Doesn't matter if she's convicted for Kathryn or not – she's screwed. I have to go find her before someone notices she's missing."

Rumpelstiltskin knew that 'someone' immediately, "Oh, you mean Regina?"

Emma rushed around and grabbed her things, "The arraignment's at eight A.M. I'm sure she'll be here bright and early to celebrate her victory."

"Well, you have until eight A.M., then," he allowed.

Henry went to his mother, "Uh, what about me? How can I help?"

"Go home," Emma turned him around and urged him forward.

"Emma," Henry lowered his voice, "If she leaves Storybrooke…"

"Not now, Henry. Come on."

"Miss Swan," Rumpelstiltskin walked up to her, "I know time is of the essence, but if my wife doesn't return… Her future's in jeopardy. And if you're caught helping her, so is yours."

Emma's gaze hardened, "I don't care. I'd rather lose my job than my friend."

Rumpelstiltskin waited until she was gone before he let his smirk show, "Good luck, then."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow knew she was drugged and she knew that she was being moved into another room but for the life of her, she couldn't wake up. She heard Jefferson apologizing over and over but she didn't register it.

She knew she'd been thrown unceremoniously onto the carpet of a room that he used for storage and left alone. She dozed in and out of her drugged state and only really awoke when she felt someone shaking her.

She couldn't see clearly, but she saw the light shining from the hallway and she smiled as her daughter looked like an angel, "Emma."

"What are you doing here?" Emma slapped her face gently, "No, no, no, wake up!"

She shouldn't have come after her! Not now! Not here. Emma didn't even know this place existed, how did she end up here? 

Unless Jefferson lured her out.

"Why are you here?" Snow half demanded, half slurred.

"I've been trying to find you. You escaped, remember? How did you get out?

"Key….under my pillow….put there," she struggled to say the words through her thick tongue….well, it felt thicker than usual.

"Who?" Emma helped her up and slung one arm over her shoulder.

"Don't know," Snow lied.

"Has he hurt you?"

"No…." Snow struggled to focus, "He wouldn't…"

"Okay, shh," Emma opened the door and slipped out. Snow watched as she checked the hallway and guided Snow out. Snow tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Emma stopped and tensed. Snow lifted her heavy head up and saw Jefferson with a jovial smile on his face.

And a gun.

"I see you found Spot," he told Emma.

Emma shifted, "I've already called for backup. They'll be here any second."

"You haven't called anybody," he told her, "For the same reason you didn't tell me about her. You don't want anybody to know you're here, which means, nobody does."

He led them both back into the room. He made sure Emma stood in the corner by pointing the gun at her and he gave Snow a quick injection.

"Forgive me," he asked.

"Jefferson," she whispered pleadingly.

"It's going to be okay," he promised.

Emma shifted and he quickly raised a gun to her and stood up.

"Your telescope – you've been watching me. Why?"

He grabbed her by her arm "I need you to do something."

He shoved her out of the room. Snow lifted her head up and tried to glare, "Don't! Don't you hurt her!"

Jefferson purposefully turned away and closed the door.

And her world slipped back into darkness.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow didn't know how long she slept, but when she woke up she was feeling…a bit more clear headed. Not so much though, it was still a struggle for her to pull herself up into a sitting position. Her head was swimming and she felt her stomach lurching.

She didn't know how long she lay there…maybe an hour before she heard footsteps running. She saw the door open and Emma rushed in. She tugged on Snow's arms and tried to pull her up, "Hey. It's alright. I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be okay. He can't hurt you anymore."

Snow saw the shadow in the doorway, "Emma! Look out!"

Emma turned and raised her gun but it was too late. He barreled into both of them. Snow was slammed hard against the wall and she collapsed on the ground next to Jefferson and Emma; who went down in a tangle of limbs.

The gun was a few feet away. Emma crawled towards it, but Jefferson grabbed her and yanked her back. He tried crawling on top of her to get to the gun first. Emma gained on him and he grabbed her hair and pulled her backwards. Emma gave a gasp of pain and elbowed him in the face.

Snow felt her energy returning and she struggled to get upright.

Jefferson wrapped his arms around Emma's neck. Emma struggled to shove him off her but he was stronger. He yanked Emma up and threw her against the desk. Emma turned to fight again but it was too late, he had the gun aimed at her.

He put on his hat and smiled. His cravat was gone; the scar that was left from the beheading was there. He gave a bitter smile when Emma saw it, "Off with his head." 

Snow stood with the croquet mallet. Jefferson was her friend, but Emma was her daughter. She had thought that Jefferson, at least, wouldn't hurt them. But now that he had a hat that he clearly hoped worked, he wouldn't need them.

She couldn't take the risk that he was calm enough to not hurt her daughter.

She hit him in the back. His body buckled and he turned to her with betrayal in his eyes. Snow couldn't hate him, she understood the 'why', she just couldn't let him hurt her daughter.

He started to raise the gun.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and kicked him out the window.

Her daughter was shaking slightly when Snow stumbled over, "Are you okay?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah."

They both crept to the window and looked down. Snow braced herself for seeing her friend's body sprawled on the ground.

What was she supposed to tell Grace when the curse broke?

But he wasn't there. The only thing that WAS there was the hat. Had it worked? Or had he just run away?

Snow rushed as quickly as she could to the hat and stared down into it. Was he home now? Could he get back?

Emma came from around the house, "There's no sign of him anywhere."

Snow tilted her head, "Do you know who he was?"

"A very lonely man," Emma told her and turned, "By the way, have you been taking kickboxing and not telling me about it?"

Snow clutched the hat in her hands, "I have no idea where that came from."

They walked around to the other side of the house and Snow saw a lump hidden by a tarp, "Emma, look."

Emma pulled the tarp off and happily swung her keys in the air.

Snow smiled gently. It had been such a good plan too, but they'd just have to rework it. Rumpelstiltskin would think of something, he always did, "So, Sheriff, I guess you'll be taking me back now."

Emma tossed the keys to Snow, ""Here. Go."

Snow gave her daughter a confused look, "You want me to run?"

"No, but it's your choice. Just know something – running ain't easy. I've done my share of it. And once you go, there's no stopping."

Snow wished she could get out of here, but that would also mean losing her daughter and Snow couldn't do that, "Emma, everyone thinks I killed Kathryn."

"Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. You have to trust me. I know it seems impossible, but I can get you out of this. When Regina framed me, and you bailed me out, I asked you why. And you said you trusted me. And then, when I wanted to leave Storybrooke cause I thought it was best for Henry, you told me I needed to stay because that was the best for him. And I realized, all my life, I have been alone. Walls up. Nobody's ever been there for me – except for you. And I can't lose that. I cannot lose my family."

That was everything Snow needed to hear. She felt her eyes fill with tears and she smiled, "Family?"

Emma realized her mistake, "Friends. Whatever. You know what I mean. Wouldn't you rather face this together than alone?"

Snow smiled warmly at her daughter and gave her her keys back.

The clock started chiming and Emma looked scared, "The arraignment…"

"I suggest we get going," Snow told her daughter.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The ladies were a little worse for wear when they came in. Rumpelstiltskin mentally cursed when Emma brought in Snow because now he had to think of something different to get her out.

Wouldn't be hard. Regina had shot herself in the foot by faking the test results and putting the heart in Snow's music box.

He helped Emma get Snow situated and Emma slipped out of the sheriff's station to get everything ready.

"Are you okay?" he asked

Snow gave a quiet sniffle, "No! I kicked Jefferson out the window!"

He was going to have to ask but there was a part of him that was dreading that story, "Is he alive?"

Snow broke down, "I DON'T KNOW!"

He gave her a gentle embrace and left her a newspaper so she could have something to read after the arraignment. He closed the cell door and got ready for the morning ahead.

A bit later, he heard the infamous _clack clack_ing of Regina's heels and he straightened up from making sure he was impeccably clean in the bathroom. Right on time…

"Madam Mayor," Snow greeted coldly.

Regina froze and gave a cold smile of her own, "Good morning.

Rumpelstiltskin moved in front of her, cutting off Regina's view from Snow, "Excuse me, but my client is not having any visitors."

Regina didn't bother to hide her fuming, "Of course not."

He extended his arm, "I'll see you out."

He followed Regina out the door. Of course he wouldn't miss this chance to gloat.

Regina started in immediately, "What is she doing here?"

He shrugged, "She came back."

Regina leaned forward, "You said this was going to work. That she'd take the key, that she'd go-."

"And she did. But, it seems that Miss Swan is rather more resourceful than we thought," He gave a proud grin. Emma may be stubborn and a bit of a heathen but she was his savior regardless, "Fear not, Your Majesty. Miss Blanchard is still guilty of murder. You may yet get what you want."

"Oh, I better. The only reason I made a deal with you, Gold, is because I wanted results," she sneered.

"And results you shall have," he promised, but didn't promise her that the results would be in her favor, "See you at the arraignment."

He watched Snow turn around and leave.

He needed a new plan.


	19. Stable Boy

Maybe it was all her time as a thief in the woods, but Snow didn't like being indoors for extended periods of time. Even the castle that they took, King George's castle, was open and airy; she still didn't like to be inside.

So the walls of the cage were closing in on her and it had barely been a week.

Snow spent most of evenings curled up on the bed with her eyes closed and tried not to think about how she was trapped.

And then the night after her arraignment, the door opened after Emma left for the evening and it woke Snow up. She sat up and tensed when she saw that it was Jefferson with his hat in his hands. She scrambled up and backed into a wall, "If you come after me, I'll scream."

"No- no, I don't want to do that, I don't want to hurt you," he looked really banged up. There was one cut on his hairline that he looked like he'd stitched up himself. His eyes filled with tears and he bit his lip, "I'm sorry, Snow. I'm so sorry."

"Why?" Snow demanded, "Why did you do that when I promised you that you'd get your daughter back when Emma broke the curse!"

"Because I don't want her living with two memories in her head!" he walked forward and Snow backed up again, "You know what that's like! Your real memories tell you that you love Charming and your fake ones tell you that you love Mr. Gold. Now what do you think will happen when Grace wakes up? She'll be torn between two sets of parents, Snow. I've been waiting for my daughter for thirty years! You've been waiting for yours for just a few months and even you know how painful it is to have her right there and not know you. I can't….let her live this existence that we do. She'll go mad." 

Snow gripped the bars, "Jefferson, look at me."

He lifted his eyes.

Snow tried to think of something to say, "I'm not insane." 

"But you're not Snow as she used to be."

"I'm darker and I don't like it but you and I both know that's not because of the memories."

"She's a child! She won't understand what she's going through."

She's young; maybe the adjustment will be easier."

"But she's not Grace! She won't ever be my Grace again," he started sobbing, "She'll always be Paige in there somewhere just like you'll be Mary Margaret."

Snow reached through the bars and took his hand, "Jefferson." 

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you, I was trying to protect you and get my daughter back-"

Snow wrapped her arm around his neck and through the bars, they held each other.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

Jefferson had let himself in with the key that Snow kept on her and they sat on the cot and spent most of the night talking together. Snow was cautious but she was confident that Jefferson and she had renewed their friendship.

He kissed her on the cheek before he left. Snow missed him as soon as he was gone and she truly hoped that after the curse was broken, they could still be friends.

She slept hard after that. She didn't even hear Regina come in until she woke up that morning and found her sitting there watching her

"They say only the guilty sleep in prison," Regina purred.

Snow looked around in fear, "What are you doing here? Where's Emma?"

"She hasn't arrived yet," Regina stood up, "I just wanted to stop by to offer you a chance. A chance to spare yourself and this town the messiness of a trial. The chance to confess."

Snow shook her head. She knew what this was about. The death of Daniel, and Snow could not confess something that was not ever her fault, "But I didn't kill Kathryn. Why won't anyone believe me?"

Regina looked victorious, "The murder weapon was found in your apartment, your fingerprint was on the box containing Kathryn's heart… Shall I go on? Why not, for once, make it easier on everyone? Because confession or not, you're leaving Storybrooke."

Snow tilted her head. She wanted to make her stepmother tell her to her face if she could, "And you like that. Why? Why do you take such pleasure in this? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?"

Regina smiled, "I think…deep down in what little of a soul you have….you know precisely what you did."

Regina turned and left.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When Rumpelstiltskin suggested a pretrial interview later that day, Emma immediately placed her between him and Snow. It was subconscious, because Emma was trying to lean on the bars, but even Snow noticed it was like Emma was trying to protect her.

They didn't talk about what happened with Jefferson.

"A pretrial interview with the prosecution?" Emma demanded, "Explain to me how that is a good idea."

"The D.A. merely wishes to ask Miss Blanchard a few questions," Rumpelstiltskin explained.

"She's done answering questions. And why are we kissing up to the D.A.? Why aren't we going after Regina? She's the one who's setting up Mary Margaret."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled to hide how annoyed he was at having to explain this again, "And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the Mayor's skeleton key in the cell, doesn't mean we can prove she put it there."

"So, what's your plan?" Emma demanded.

"I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset."

"What's that?" Snow asked. This was a new plan that she didn't know about yet. Ever since Jefferson had broken down…they hadn't gotten the chance to regroup.

"Well, that's you, sweetheart," he explained gently, "A sweet, kind, elementary school teacher. Doesn't exactly fit the prototype of a killer, now, does it?"

"That's how you're going to get her acquitted? By using her personality?"

"Perception is everything, Miss Swan – not just in the courtroom, but in life. As such, I'm sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive my wife if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney," he pointed to Emma, "These things engender trust. It shows the jury she's at least trying-."

"Emma?"

They all turned to look towards the interruption. Rumpelstiltskin scowled as he saw it was Sidney holding some tulips, "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt. I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up."

Snow got up the minute Emma went to speak with him.

"Keep your voice down, dear. I believe there's a bug in that vase."

"Could we prove that Regina put that in there?" 

"Not without Sidney's confession and we both know what little chance that has of happening." 

"We could knock it over or…hurl it at Regina's head. She was in here this morning."

Rumpelstiltskin tensed and he looked alarmed, "Are you okay?"

Snow nodded, "What are you doing? What is this?" 

"We're moving up the time table."

Snow nodded, the sooner they got this done, the faster they got Kathryn out, "What do I have to do?"

"Give them something…a leg up on you so that they'll be in a hurry to start proceedings."

"Like a confession?" 

"No, nothing like that but just…a hint that you might be guilty" 

Snow twisted her fingers together, "I don't like it."

"The sooner you do it, the sooner you get out of here."

"And get taken over the border." 

He took her hand, "I won't let that happen." 

Snow felt herself shaking, "Do you promise?" 

"We had an agreement," He promised, "And I always honor my agreements." 

For some reason, Snow didn't feel comfort as Emma came over but she played her role, "I'm going to do it. I'm going to talk to the D.A."

Emma stopped, "Are you sure?"

Snow looked Rumpelstiltskin, "My husband's right. I know I have nothing to hide, but no one else does. I need to let people see me for who I am."

Behind them, Snow watched as King George walked through the door, followed by Regina. She felt the weight of her situation weigh down on her more as he still had that same cold look he had over at home, "Excellent decision, Mrs. Gold. My name is Spencer. I'm the District Attorney. Shall we begin?"

She tried to smile and give him a nod but she was panicking inside

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

It was supposed to just be some questions but Snow felt like that she was being interrogated and the large window that she KNEW her daughter and enemy were watching from made her feel like she was on display.

She didn't know what she would've done if not for Rumpelstiltskin holding her hand under the table. What little of Mary Margaret that she listened to was swooning and Snow was at the point in their relationship where she herself felt some comfort.

They'd been talking for an hour. And George or Spencer or whatever his name was here showed no sign of wanting to stop, "-After she learned about your affair, Misses Nolan, the deceased, came to your school to confront you. Is that correct?"

Snow nodded and looked at Rumpelstiltskin, "She was hurt, and she felt betrayed."

"She struck you… In the face, was it?"

"Yes, but-"

"That must've made you angry," he interrupted.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her, "You… You don't have to answer that."

But in saying that, Snow knew he wanted her to answer that. The whole plan was for her to dig herself a hole, right? "No, it's okay. I was not angry. I was sorry for all the pain I had caused her."

George gave her a condescending smile, "Miss Blanchard, this is not a courtroom. I'm not here to judge you. You can be honest with me."

Rumpelstiltskin narrowed his eyes, "Shall we end this?"

Snow stared at Spencer, "I AM being honest with you."

"The wife of the man you loved humiliated you in a public forum. Surely, you must have felt some anger towards Kathryn?"

"Well, yes, I was angry-"

"And did you ever think about acting upon that anger?" He demanded.

"Of course not."

"I have a hard time believing that."

Snow shot a look to Rumpelstiltskin, "Wh… Why?"

"Because you wanted Kathryn Nolan gone."

Snow was innocent and this was a game right now, but she still grew angry, "I never said that."

"Alright," Rumpelstiltskin spoke over her and stood, "My client is answering no more questions for the day."

"Your client agreed to this interview because she claimed she had nothing to hide."

"I _don't_ have anything to hide," Snow protested.

"Then, what is your answer? You wanted Kathryn gone, didn't you?"

Snow held his gaze, "No."

"Even after she tried to keep you and David apart? After she slapped you in public?" he held up a photo of her car with the word 'tramp' across it, "After she made you a pariah in your own town?"

Snow took her chance, "Yes, of course I wanted her gone. She was the only thing keeping us apart. So, yeah, I wanted her gone. Is that what you want to hear?"

Spencer smiled viciously. Snow looked up to Rumpelstiltskin and he was making sure to avoid her gaze.

And Snow was entirely sure her outburst was completely an act.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Rumpelstiltskin told her that she'd done well when they took her back to her cell. The charges were dropping down on her now and they could proceed.

Snow felt like she was going to be sick. Rumpelstiltskin promised her that it was almost over and Snow had believed him.

It was almost over. The curse would break and everyone would wake up. They'd know what she'd done because she planned to be honest and atone.

But the idea of her daughter seeing her for what she was now…as well as her husband sent her into sobs. They were sobs of guilt and relief; it was all going to circle back on Regina.

"Having a bad day?"

Snow sat up sharply and saw Regina stroll in to the room, "What are you doing here?"

Regina gave her a vicious cold smirk, "I wanted to see you while I can."

"What does that mean?"

"Simply, that the trial starts tomorrow, and it be won't a long one. And, you'll be sent out of Storybrooke for good, and I will never have to see you again," Regina leaned on the bars, "Oh, I want to enjoy this while I still can."

"Enjoy what?"

"Justice."

"Justice?" Snow demanded, "Watching an innocent suffer?"

"You've always seen yourself that way, haven't you?" her face twisted up, "Innocent."

"I AM innocent!" she sobbed, "Regina, whatever you hate me for… I'm sorry. I truly am."

Regina smiled, "Apology not accepted."

"Please. Don't do this to me," she begged. It wasn't too late to turn back. If she could persuade Regina to stop, "I don't deserve this. I did not kill Kathryn."

"Oh, I know," Regina cooed, she reached through the bars to brush Snow's face gently and then she grabbed her chin roughly, "But you do deserve this."

She shoved Snow's face away and walked out.

Snow curled up on the bed cried herself to sleep.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

Snow looked like she hadn't slept that night as Rumpelstiltskin came to 'see her off'

Well, she wouldn't get far. Kathryn Nolan was on her way to be 'discovered' and it would all lead back to Regina.

But Snow looked dazed and exhausted and so very defeated. Regina must have been in here last night.

The police came and handcuffed Snow. Emma had given her her coat to keep her warm but Snow didn't look like she felt warm.

Emma looked like she had the world on her shoulders

"Mary Margaret…" Emma whispered.

The police led her out of the room and Emma walked up to him, "You told me you could fix this, that's why I came to you. So that you could make sure Regina didn't win."

Rumpelstiltskin watched her outburst with barely a reaction, "She hasn't, yet."

"Well, she's going to. And now, my friend is going to pay for me trusting you."

"Look, Sheriff," he said in irritation, "I know this is emotional, but it's also not over. You must have faith. There's still time."

"Time for what?"

He smiled at her, "For me to work a little magic."

He gave her one of those mysterious smiles that he knew she hated and he left her alone.

The vase broke. Well…that was another problem solved.

Ten minutes….maybe fifteen minutes later, he got a call.

Kathryn Nolan was found and Snow was on her way back to be released.


End file.
